Angel of the Hazard
by RockBane
Summary: Destiny is altered, causing one Digidestine to strike out on a new Path. A gender flip puts a new spin on things, as Kari takes on the name Takato. Can Gatomon and Guilmon get along? Can the Digidestine accept Takato as the long lost member of their group
1. Prolong

**Angel of the Hazard**

I don't own Digimon!

Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

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Her head hurt, that was the first thing Kari became aware of. With a soft groan she slid out from under her bed cover, as she rubbed her temples in a vain attempt to get rid of her headache.

Opening her eyes, she can't help but blink a few more times before she frowns slightly as she tries to remember. For the last thing she remembered was the Digidestined had been fighting an unknown Digimon, and then… dear lord. She pales as she stiffens up.

_I was hit by an attack._ Kari thinks as she remembers the attack coming straight at her. Gatomon had been KO'd and the Digimon attacker had been vastly amused throughout the battle. And now she knows why, even though at the time she couldn't seem to remember the reason why he was so amused.

Still lost in her thoughts, she listened to see if anyone else was awake right now, within her home. She could hear the soft breathing of Gatomon as her partner is sleeping elsewhere, though close enough for her to hear it. So that meant otherwise she was the only one home that was wide awake. While she was a bit annoyed they hadn't stayed up waited for her to wake up to talk with, she knew that she must have gotten home pretty late as the clock on the wall says it's two am. Though it takes her a few minutes to realize that Tai wasn't sleeping on the top bunk, which means his plans for a sleep over at Matt's place fell through despite the battle earlier.

_I wonder if they defeated the Digimon, or did it escape?_ she thought, she hoped they defeated it since it had been causing quite a lot of damage and if it had escaped, the Digimon could easily be biding its time to strike once more.

Soon enough she decides that she needs to use the bathroom, so she slipped quietly across the hall to where the bathroom was located. She was still wearing her normal clothing, since it was unlikely Tai would get past embarrassment to be able to put her in her pajamas.

Down came the pants.

…

…

How did guys do it again? Aim and click?

She frowns as she tries to think of why she's musing about how guys used the toilet. She stands there, frowning before she realizes that she now has a new part of her body. She's too shell shock to feel anything but numbness. _No wonder the Digimon was so amused; his attack had turned her into a guy._

Since she was pretty sure guys were the gender that stood to do this.

OoOoO

Once Kari was finished doing her business in the bathroom, she quickly exits the room and closes the door to her room silently, no not her... his room, as so as not to wake anyone up. The newly male Kari breathed deeply, trying to fend off a panic attack.

"Okay okay... calm down," Kari tells … himself, though he can't help wincing a bit at his new voice. He glances around the room, hoping that Gatomon's still sleeping even though he had spoken out loud.

He ran a hand through his chin length hair, his crimson eyes darting wildly around the room once more. Mumbling he dug through his clothing, looking for something that didn't scream, I'm-a-girl.

In the end, he ended up borrowing a blue t-shirt from Tai and puling on a brown pair of pants and white sneakers. He knew that he didn't look too different from before his... gender flip, otherwise Tai and the others would have noticed that something happened.

This wouldn't last, she was... no he was nine years old.

The dreaded puberty would hit soon enough, and then there would be no way to hide his new gender.

"I'm a freak, a freak," Kari whispered as he wipes the tears trailing down his face, he couldn't stay here. When his family would most likely wake up they'd hate him, they might not believe he was... well himself.

And if they believed him, they'd probably be disgusted… and if the gender flip hadn't flipped back by now…

Which either means that the Digimon was still at large or that, some how, the effects of the attack were now permanent, which ever it is, it means he can't remain a daughter in this house hold.

He bit his lip and brushed away his tears, he knows a kid shouldn't have to think about facts like this. But his adventures in the digital world had changed him, he was so tired.

"I have to leave," Kari whispered, couldn't stay… he couldn't face rejection.

Quickly he packed an old grey backpack with spare clothing, and tip toed to the kitchen to get food that didn't go bad easily.

The child of light spared a look at where he thinks his sleeping partner is, for he knew Gatomon couldn't come plus he would rather the white cat remember how he use to be, not as he is now. After all to disappear he couldn't be visible, a Digimon would be easier to find then one child.

"I'm sorry Gatomon, but... this time I have to go where ever myself this time," he whispered, and as he walks towards the apartment door, he glances around for one last look before he opens the door, goes through it and then closed the door to the apartment.

And that was it, he was gone.

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He glances around the park in West Shinjuku, he no longer goes by Kari as his name since it was a girl's name and it would also allow anyone looking for him to locate him easily.

Since he wasn't going by Kari as his name, he had decided to leave that part of Tokyo as well. That was a few days ago and so far, he's yet to come up with a plan of some kind as to what he wants to do.

As he sits under the dino with a clock in it, he watches as other kids play around on the play equipment or playing on the grass not to far away. Envy bubbles in his chest as he notices how parents would appear to either drop off a kid or pick up a kid.

"Hey, chumly, mind moving out of the way?" A kid wearing a visor asks.

He crawls out from under the dino and watches as the visor kid and a second kid wearing glasses climb up to the ledge that's up there.

"Could you throw down my pack, please?" He asks the pair and within seconds his pack is on the ground. He recovers it and brushes some of the sand off.

As he walks away from the play equipment, he bumps into a kid with black hair and really brown tanned skin. "Sorry." He says as he stares down at his feet.

"No problem, by the way, my name's Kai." The kid says, he glances up from his shoes to look at Kai. "I… I don't have a name." The girl turned boy admits.

"Didn't your parents name you?" Kai asks, he notices the concerned look on the other boy's face. "I kind of… lost them." He says, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"Ah, hey! I didn't mean anything! I didn't know!" Kai exclaims, clearly not knowing how to comfort him. "Are you a girl or something?" Kai asks, a big mistake on the boy's part for with a slight sob, he breaks down crying.

They attract a lot of attention as he cries while Kai tries to make up for his mistake. "Come on, don't cry! I don't know what I did to make you cry but I don't want you to cry any more." Kai says, trying to comfort him by rubbing his back.

He wipes his eyes using a bit of his shirt and manages to say between sobs, "It's not that, I just don't… everything is just so… I want a family!" The last part kind of just came out; he kind of just said something that had been on his mind a while back, when he was watching the other kids and their families.

"Ah, bob, let's go to my aunt and uncle's bakery, ok? I think they know how to handle this better then me." Kai says, though it's likely the last part was more for himself then for the girl-turned-boy he's trying to comfort.

He nods and it's not long before he's following the tanned boy through the park and then out onto the streets.

Unknowingly to the pair, they had just taken their first steps to becoming cousins.

To Readers:

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Hope to hear what you think of it, so hopefully you'll leave a review! Bye for now!


	2. Chapter 1

We own nothing again but the fic, and any original characters. Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

Angel of the Hazard

Chapter One: Back Track

"Where is it!" Takato said, pulling things from his junk box. _Paperclip, broken dino pencil, my stash of jelly beans, a rapid shot card…_ He lists mentally as he digs through the junk box, he watches as Guilmon picks up the bag of jelly bean and begins to dump the whole bag into his mouth.

"Takatomon, what are you looking for?" Guilmon said trying to look around his human partners form now that Guilmon's swallowed the beans that were in his mouth.

"My permission form for school, we have a school trip coming up and it's due tomorrow," the gogglehead said not turning, a short ah-ha came shortly a he pulled out a rather crumpled paper, there had been an elastic band around it and a news letter he forgot to give him parents.

"About time, now... to get it signed," Takato said getting up. Then he begins to stuff the items back into the box before Guilmon decides to see if there's more candy in the box to eat.

"Where's it at? Can I come?" the bubbly Digimon asked happily as the red rookie watches as he shoves the box back where he found it.

"It's in Odaiba… and yes you can come," Takato said pausing, Guilmon blinked... why did his Tamer seem so sad?

"Takatomon, are you okay?" Guilmon asked, having a rare flash of insight.

"Huh... oh... yeah I'm fine," Takato said smiling, warding off the sadness that still lingers within his heart. He mentally shoves the image of the family he left behind away, though his heart squeezes slightly at the image of the champion level Digimon he left behind before he dismisses that image as well.

"Yeah! Can I have Guilmon bread on the trip too?" He asked happily.

"Sure," Takato laughed as he left the room, as he left the smile dropped off his face and a sad look came into his eyes. He couldn't help but wonder what it'll be like to go back to Odaiba or if he'll met up with anyone he once knew.

"Odaiba huh, never thought I'd have to go back there," he said softly, he took a deep calming breath and forced him to smile. He then heads down the stairs to look for his mother. He finds her at the front of the store, standing at counter behind the cash register.

"Kaa-san, the permission slip is due tomorrow... I need you to sign," Takato said walking up to his parents.

"At least it wasn't last minute this time," she teased; he did have a habit of making her signing them last minute.

"Kaaa-san," he protested blushing, she laughed and signed it.

"Just remember, have fun on that trip when it starts," she said.

"Hai," he smiled, he would do his best.

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Takato looks around the school yard that's filled with kids going on the trip to Odaiba, he's currently standing with Kazu, Kenta, their partners, and Guilmon. He tries to spot Rika, she had transferred schools when school started the next grade, and he finally spots her as she hangs around the front doors.

"Rika! Over here! Rika!" He shouts as he waves his arms in hopes of attracting her attention.

"Jeezes, could you sound more like a love struck fool?" Kazu asks mockingly. Takato reddens slightly, Kenta elbows Kazu in the ribs.

"What? I'm only kidding." Kazu says, he doesn't pay much attention to the pair as he's watching the red head Tamer walking towards them, making her way through the slightly crowded school yard.

"There's Henry and Jeri." Kenta remarks which causing Takato to turn away from watching Rika so he can look where the glass wearing Tamer was pointing. He then spots the two Tamers and notices that they were waiting their turn to stuff their bags in the trunk of the bus.

Takato then looks away and notices that Rika has joined them. "Where's Renamon?" He asks her. "Around." Was Rika's reply.

"Takatomon, I'm hungry." Guilmon whines and he sighs.

"I'm not a mon, Guilmon and you just ate breakfast thirty minutes ago!" The gogglehead points out.

"So? I'm hungry now." Guilmon says and Takato gives out a loud sigh as his head drops down to his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye, Takato saw Rika looking amused at Guilmon and his interactions. It's no long before Henry and Jeri joins them as the conversation turns to the upcoming mini Olympics that's happening in Odaiba. They'll be other schools from other districts competing in it too.

Soon the teachers begin to load kids up into the buses, there was some trouble getting Guardromon onto the bus. In the end, they disassemble the machine Digimon and after finding it hard to fit the chest part into the bus by the side door, they then tried the to fit him through the fire exit, when that didn't work, they made room in the trunk space for the machine Digimon.

It wasn't until they were on their way did Takato asks Henry, "By the way, where's Terriermon?" Henry opened his mouth to answer but then Henry looks alert at that and begins to look around the bus in hopes of spotting the loud mouth rookie.

"Calumon's missing too." Jeri says, adding to the conversation.

"How much to you want to bet that those two are getting into mischief as we speak?" Rika pipes in dryly.

Henry groans as Takato and Jeri give the serious natured Tamer sympathetic looks while Kazu and Kenta pay no mind to their conversation as Guilmon cons food from the other kids.

_This has long trip written all over it._ Takato muses to himself as he stares out of the bus window.

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After a few hours, it turned out that Terriermon and Calumon had snuck onto one of the other buses and had been causing trouble over there. Well, more Terriermon then Calumon since Terriermon's the master mind of operation, not really surprising if truth be told.

Henry and Jeri managed to retrieve the two Digimon when they stopped for lunch at a restaurant. All Terriermon had to say was Momentai, at which Henry just rolled his eyes and tried to ignore anything else the dog type Digimon, the key word was try.

Besides, he had his hands full with Guilmon to really pay much attention to what's going on between Henry and Terriermon. He had to make sure that Guilmon didn't try to pick up leftovers from other people's table, trying vainly to tell his partner that it just wasn't polite.

"You've a better chance of breaking Terriermon of saying Momentai then teaching dino-boy table manners, gogglehead." Rika had remarked with a slight grin about the third time he had to stop his partner from wondering away from their table.

Reluctantly, he had to agree with Rika's point of view since the only real time the red rookie minded his manners was when they're eating with his family. His partner was just as afraid of his mom's disapproval has he was, since it usually met that he wouldn't get any large portions of food for a day or two.

The arrived at the hotel by four pm in the afternoon, they also got their room assignments as well. He's rooming with Kenta; they're the only two Tamers rooming together, while the others will be sharing rooms with one of the other classmates, though Terriermon did remark that Henry should be happy not to be rooming with Kazu, which earned the rookie the typical "Terriermon…" response from Henry and the usual 'Momentai, Henry, Momentai!" from Terriermon.

Takato sighed as he drops onto the bed, Guilmon's busy checking out the ice machine with Calumon, he had sent the rookie to get ice, he can only hope that his partner returns with said ice. Kenta's busy helping Kazu assemble Guardromon with Henry supervising just in case the two needed help. He has no idea what Rika and Jeri were up too, but could only guess that they're either hanging out with each other or maybe exploring around the hotel, for all he knew they could have changed into their swimsuits and headed straight to the pool with the other kids.

_Well, I'm back and I wonder if any of them will remember me, though I doubt they'll recognize me since I'm obviously not a budding young woman._ Takato muses to himself.

There's a knock at the door and Takato gets up to answer it. "Rika? Oh, hey Renamon." Takato says when he notices the tall anamorphic fox standing slightly behind the red head.

"Mind if we come in? My room mate already has a bunch of her friends over." Rika says and he nods as he moves out of the way, opening the door even more.

The Tamer who's also known as Gogglehead, closes the door behind him though he does ask the pair, "Did you guys pass by the ice machine?"

"Yes we did." Renamon answers from her position by the window.

"I don't suppose you two pass by you didn't happen to see Guilmon or Calumon hanging around it, did you?" Takato asks and Rika shakes her head, he groans as he begins to worry about what kind of trouble those two were most likely getting into.

"Relax, gogglehead, I'm sure they're at the pool since that's where most of our classmates are headed. They probably tagged along with those kids." Rika suggests and Takato frowns but decides that Rika's likely right since both Calumon and Guilmon enjoy playing games, be it in the pool or not.

After a few minutes, Kenta shows up with his partner floating after him. Kenta left as soon as he got his swim suit on, Rika and Takato decided to hang out around the pool since it's likely where they'll find the other Tamers.

Besides, he rather not be alone right not since it's likely that he'd find himself wallowing in self-pity if he's alone in the room by himself.

OoOoO

"This is so freaking awesome," Davis almost screamed, those near him winced at the goggled youth's volume with Tai rubbing a finger in his left ear since that's the ear that suffered the most from Davis's near scream since Davis is position to his left.

"Turn the dial down Davis," Yolei said rubbing her temples, the maroon-head always seemed to give the purple haired girl a headache. Yolei sighs as Davis ignores her comment.

"Aw... but its fun," Veemon said from Davis bag, he was quickly shushed so no one would notice him. Davis could already envision the pout on his partner's face at being shushed.

"Why did we agree to help supervise this?" Matt said, turning to look at Tai. They were at the rear of the group as Davis surged forward to lead the group through the schoolyard.

"Because we don't have school this week due to a gas leak, and they didn't have enough volunteers to keep the kiddies in line," Tai said with a rather amused smile. The holder of Courage surveys the area, his eyes lingering on different groups from the different schools that showed up to participate in this mini Olympics.

"Yeah, it rocks," Davis said with a lopsided grin. The holder of the Digi-Eggs of Courage and Friendship's eyes drift to a group of girls from a different school before glancing towards a concession stand that's being set up.

"Too bad for you, we're actually going to following the rules this time," Matt smirked. Tai hides a grin at Davis's disappointed look.

"Damn..." Davis said; Veemon snickered. Ken pats the goggle wearing teenager on the shoulder as a comforting gesture. Davis gives Ken a quick grin before his good mood returns.

As they continued heading to there room, Tai sighs as he eyes the milling teens around him. In his heart, he knew that if Kari hadn't vanished that night she would have been here. Thinking over the past years, he wondered how the new Destined would have reacted to Kari.

It's probably Davis would jump at a chance to date her, and TK and Kari would be dating by now.

At the thought of TK, he turns to study the blond holder of Hope. In the absence of Kari, the holder of Hope had managed to use her crest to a degree... but not perfectly. It had been pretty close.

Gennai had told TK and himself in private that TK was now unable to use the crest of Light. That it would begin to damage his body now, since it's not meant for him to use. Tai knew that it was because of the connection between the crest of Light and Hope that allowed TK to even access the powers of Light.

It was because he was looking at TK, that he never saw a certain red-eyed youth who also wears a pair of yellow goggles walk by a few feet away not noticing him either.

Sometimes, destiny could have a cruel sense of humor.

OoOoO

Takato was occupied with trying to locate Calumon that he didn't have a chance to notice much of what's going on around him since his focus and thoughts revolved around finding the white Digimon before the cream puff loving Digimon comes to the attention of the Digidestine.

The group had split up in order to locate the fun loving Digimon faster, it helps that Renamon was aiding their effort as well since she's more then able to keep from being seen by anyone when she doesn't want to be seen. He should know since even now whenever Renamon appears out of thin air it also startles him as if it were the first time.

Takato sighs as he pauses by the door leading into the high school that's hosting the mini Olympics. He digs around his pockets, trying to find the school map that they handed out to help them get around the inside of the school so they can find their assigned team rooms.

He glances at the sheet to see where cafeteria is located. Takato then folds the sheet up and then heads into the school; his destination was the cafeteria where he only hopes to find Calumon.

As he arrives into the cafeteria, he finds Kazu having trouble getting Calumon down from the high ledge. Takato groans softly as he notices just what Calumon has gathered up by the ledge. _Henry's going to kill Terriermon for planting this idea in Calumon's head._

"Takato, you want to make water balloons too?" Calumon asks, floating over Kazu's head to hover in front of him.

"I'm guessing Terriermon asked you to make them?" He hazards a guess and Calumon looks surprised.

"How'd you know?" Calumon asks, cocking his head to the side as his innocent green eyes regard him. "Cause it sounds like a typical Terriermon idea." Kazu mutters, Calumon shrugs before deciding to use his head as a perch.

It wasn't long before Rika and Jeri show up and Calumon launches himself off his head and drifts into Jeri's open arms. "Hi ya Jeri! Want to help Takato and me make water balloons?" The white in-training Digimon asks.

"Not right now Calumon, we're almost late for the opening ceremony." Jeri says with a hint of apology in her tone. Calumon's ears shrink as the Digimon replies, "Ok… but that sounds so boring!"

"Dude, why do you think we brought that banner we made?" Kazu says and Calumon looks thoughtful.

"I thought it was because Takato likes making banners." Calumon muses out loud.

He reddens slightly as the others glance his way. He's slightly embarrassed about being reminded of his earlier attempts at banner making and his idea of having a Tamer banner for them to rally around.

"That he does, that he does." Rika muses causing him to redden even further.

"We should get going since Kazu's suppose to be the banner bearer right?" Takato says, changing the subject and Kazu slaps his forehead.

"I almost forgot!" Says the visor wearing teen says, almost bolting out of the cafeteria.

Takato sighs and they follow their friend and fellow Tamer out of the cafeteria and off to find the classroom where those participating in the upcoming events were to change into their uniforms.

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Tai watches as those not participating in any of the events settle down. It's not long before Odaiba Junior High's procession begins the ceremony. Cody was chosen to carry the school's banner, which was a white tree on a field of blue with elaborate white trim around the edge of the banner. The kids participating in the upcoming events are wearing uniforms to help differentiate which school they're representing, hence the reason why the kids walking behind Cody are wearing blue and white.

Once the Odaiba procession makes it to the stage, Cody then rams the end of the pole into the slot prepared for the seven banners of the seven schools. The uniformed procession of Odaiba Junior High then take their places in the crowd as they wait for the next school, Rei Junior High, to begin their march towards the stage.

Rie Junior High's banner features a silver dove with a black outline to help separate it from the white back ground. Once more a procession of teens wearing white and silver follows the banner carrier, who's a teenage girl. The girl repeats Cody's actions of ramming the butt end of the pole into the slot for the banner.

Next up is the team from South Teruyoshi Junior High, their banner features a teal bear paw print on a yellow field with a teal decorative boarder on the edge of the banner. The crowd of yellow and teal wearing teens head to the right instead of the left as the banner bearer does what his predecessors had done with the banner he was carrying.

Tai continues to survey the teams as the walk up the runway leading up to the stage. He couldn't help but smother a snicker on seeing the team from Toshiba High of the Musically Gifted in their pink and red uniforms. Tai has a slight smile on his face as imagines what Matt would have looked like if he had accepted that school's invitation. The banner contains a red musical note on a field of pink.

Tai sighs in disappointment as he studies the girls from Toshiba High since that school's population is made up mostly girls. He had hoped to find Kari among their ranks, though he still hopes that if Kari's still in Tokyo that she would be attending one of the six schools attending this contest event.

The next high school was Ragnarok High; their banner was the infinity symbol in orange on a field of green with odd orange runes bordering the edge. This procession goes to the right, which means that the last two schools will go to the right as well.

North Ryouhei High's banner has a black shaded wolf sitting on its hunches howling up at the moon with a grey moon rising behind it. So far, he's willing to say that out of all of the banners, Ryouchei's banner looks like they put a bit more thought into it then the others.

Then finally was the procession from West Shinjuku High School, his attention wasn't on the banner but on this teen wearing a pair of yellow goggles. Tai can't help but study the teen since the kid's eyes were very similar to Kari's eyes, for they were the same reddish brown color but it's clear that the teen was a guy.

Tai blinks and glances at their banner and couldn't help but rise an eye brow at the gold dino that's featured on their banner with a field of white at the top part and at the bottom half it was brown.

_Does that dino have Patamon's ears?_ Tai wonders, he steals a glance at TK and finds that TK seems mildly surprised about what's on the banner as well.

Tai blinks as he hears muffled cursing and holds back a chuckle as he watches the visor wearing banner bearer having some trouble getting the butt end of the pole into the slot. Watching this teen having trouble with the pole reminds him of how sometimes Davis's enthusiasm sometimes causes the young leader of the newer generation of the Digidestine to look dumb since his common sense sometimes flies out the window.

Visor boy pauses for a second before finally putting the butt in of the pole into its appointed slot. He watches as the teen looks slightly sheepish at his friends among the team, he notices how the teen that reminds him of Kari look bemused at visor boy. Tai watches as visor boy sits down by a teen wearing glasses, visor boy elbows the glass wearing teen and he notices that the girl next to the yellow goggle wearing teen was rolling her eyes and shaking her head, most likely out of embarrassment.

Tai's attention shifts from the team from Shinjuku as the principle of Odaiba stands up and walks to the mike. Principle Mayonaka glances over the crowd before the stage before she begins her speech. "Greetings…"


	3. Chapter 2

We own nothing again but the fic, and any original characters. Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

Angel of the Hazard

Chapter Two: Meetings

Gatomon slipped through the crowded halls, her tail swirling back and forth as she tracks her quarry. She had no idea why she had come to this event, just that most of the Destined would be there. Once again that elusive scene came to her nose, she frowned. It was a digital scent, of an unknown Digimon.

She knew that some of the children from others schools could be a destined as well, after all they were starting to appear.

Yet what concerned her; was that her senses were telling her that the scent belonged to a viral type Digimon. Gatomon hissed at that thought, she'd yet to meet a good viral Digimon.

Well, other then Wormmon, but half the time he seemed like a data type anyway. And Orgemon, but Orgemon... was just weird.

Her eyes twitched, she could now hear the sounds of the mini Olympics opening ceremony beginning. Gatomon spares a thought for Veemon since he's with Davis.

Red flashed across her vision, she turned to barely see something red… the elusive viral Digimon going down a hall twenty feet away.

She smirked, the hunt was on. She scurried after her prey not noticing the green rookie that looks like some kind of mutant rabbit/dog walking on top of the lockers.

OoOoO

Takato forces himself not to yawn; the people explaining the mini-Olympics were speaking in rather mono-tone voices. It wasn't as if any thing they're saying was new.

"Ow..." He mumbles as Rika elbows him in his rib cage, apparently he had yawned. He did his best to pay attention, but really... who chose these people anyway... they sucked at public speaking.

He did snicker though, when he heard a kid from Rei snore.

Although he does glance at the blond up on stage since the elder teen had been looking his way for a few minutes now, then Rika once more elbows him in the side and he returns to staring at whoever's at the mike.

OoOoO

Matt grinned in amusement as he saw the teenagers try to stay awake, even more amusing when one kid fell asleep and fell over. Classic.

His gaze wondered across the gathered crowd, it was one of the teens from Shinjuku that caught his attention. With that shade of brown hair, his body shape and those goggles on the top of his head the kid looked like a mini-Tai… enter the clones. But he saw there was differences; when the kid yawned his face turned enough for Matt to see his face a bit more, he had red eyes to Tai's brown.

"Tai..." Matt said under his breath, his long time friend turned to look at him.

"What?" he whispered back: at least pretending to pay attention to the people in charge.

"The guy from Shinjuku with the goggles on his head, doesn't he look like a clone of you, or like he's related to you?" Matt teased; Tai peered at the teen the blond pointed out. A rather sad smile came to his face.

"Yeah, like a brother. But I have a sister," he said sadly.

Matt winced. He hadn't meant to bring that subject up; even now Kari's a sore subject with Tai.

"Don't worry Tai, we'll find her somehow," Matt promised, a promise he would keep somehow… he wanted to see Tai truly happy again.

OoOoO

She was wet, she hated being wet. Water and cats, meant wet fur. She hated wet fur; she was going to kill whoever had splashed her.

Overhead something green-white laughed evilly and skipped away, not the virus... but a Digimon none the less… she hissed her eyes flashing angrily.

She ran after the fleeing unknowing Digimon, his mocking laugher really pissing her off.

"Get back here," she yelled, more laughter answered her.

"Omph..." she said as she ran into something, as she spun around a corner.

Regaining her balance, she looked to see what she had run into her. It was big, and red… and large golden eyes. A huge symbol covered a white chest, and was those Patamon style ears?

It was also the virus Digimon, and the cursed evil green-white thing was balanced on his head.

"Momentai!" The green and white Digimon chimes in; the virus only blinks at the cat Digimon with wide innocent eyes.

"What are you doing here virus," she hisses out, he was large but a rookie. She could take him as long as he didn't Digivolve somehow; she was a level above him.

"Eh... oh, did you want to play with Terriermon and me, we're looking for Calumon," the virus said in an utterly childlike innocent voice.

"What…" she said bewildered, it how it's not attacking right now.

"Yeah, we could use more 'mon to help catch the little guy," the white-green Digimon said, apparently Terriermon.

"Fine, but only to make sure you two don't cause trouble," she glared; hopefully she'd find out whom the red virus's human partner was and if they would be causing trouble. And maybe get even with her fellow vaccine Digimon…

And that's how she joined the two, and soon was pulled into Calumon and Guilmon's version of hide and seek where the rules were constantly changing or bending. Whether or not she'll remain sane is another matter…

OoOoO

TK sighs in relief as the speeches finally finish. He watches as Yolei nudges a few of their fellow team mates awake. It takes a few minutes for all of the teams to get to their feet, TK glances up at the stage, looking for Tai and Matt among those on stage.

Matt and he catch each other and he grins at his elder brother. Matt smiles slightly and gives him a sharp nod. Soon those that were participating in the first game headed off to the showers, the first game was the javelin throw and after that one, the hundred yard dash in which he's participating in.

TK glances around, looking for Davis and Ken in the mass of student bodies. He caught sight of the teen wearing a pair of yellow goggles but that kid is not Davis since their goggle wearing leader wasn't wearing his goggles today plus Davis's goggles were white.

The blond holder of Hope pauses as he notices the reddish brown hazel eyes, eyes that reminded him of his old friend and fellow Digidestine, Kari, Tai's younger sister.

_Get a grip on yourself, TK. This isn't a girl but a guy, sure he pass himself off as Tai's younger brother and Kari's twin brother…_ TK tells himself.

Just as he's about to look away, the goggle wearing Shinjuku teen glances his way, he notices a slight look of puzzlement before someone walks between them. TK watches as the goggle wearing teen walks with the visor wearing teen that had been the banner carrier for their school.

"TK! Are you coming or what?" Davis shouts, causing him to look away from the goggle wearing teen. "Coming!" TK shouts out and begins walking with the crowd, for some odd reason, he couldn't get the Shinjuku teen out of his mind.

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_That was creepy._ Rika muses to herself as she notices that Takato was staring at a blond kid from Odiaba's team.

Rika waits for Kazu and Takato to match her pace, though within seconds Kazu speeds up in order to catch up to Henry and Jeri, leaving her semi-alone with Takato.

"So, what's up between you and blondie?" Rika asks casually.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Takato frowning. "Don't know, I just felt someone was watching me and it just happened to be that guy."

Rika shrugs and then allows herself to smirk as a thought enters into her head. "Maybe he thought you were a cute girl."

"What?!" Takato exclaims, as she looks at Takato's expression she can't help but begin to chuckle. Takato then realizes she's kidding and Takato's face reddens from embarrassment.

"That's not funny, Rika." Takato says and the red head just shrugs.

They don't talk as they follow the mob of people around them. She glances at Takato and notices an odd look on the gogglehead's face and a distant look in his reddish brown eyes. Rika turns away, she wonders if she went too far with the teasing.

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Gatomon groans as she dodges yet another water balloon. She can't help but glare at the tiny pink Digimon that showed up after the ceremony was over. The pink Digimon might be tiny but from the name the three other alien Digimon called it, it's a mega level Digimon, since she's pretty sure that's the ranking of a MarineAngemon.

"Ah! No fair! I thought MarineAngemon was going to be with Kenta!" Terriermon says, Gatomon looks over and can't help but snicker at the wet rookie standing a few feet from where she's hiding.

The pink mega Digimon giggles and the white cream puff Digimon called Calumon shouts out, "Watch out below!" Another water balloon is sent flying, though in Terriermon's direction.

Gatomon chuckles as the vaccine rookie evades the water balloon and scrambles away in order to hide. She lost track of Guilmon, that's what they call the red virus Digimon who she's been tracking.

"Where did Guilmon go?" She asks and Calumon answers, "I think he went to find Guardromon or to fill his stomach!"

Gatomon's ears perk up on hearing that and she bites back a curse. The champion level Digimon glances upwards to see whether or not they're looking her way.

Once she's sure that they're busy attacking Terriermon, she heads off to the lunch room to see if they were correct about Guilmon heading off to eat.

It doesn't take her long to get to the cafeteria and finds the red viral eating peanut butter. She blinks blankly as Guilmon tries to offer her some, though Guilmon couldn't speak because his mouth was full of peanut butter. She shakes her head and Guilmon shrugs before shoving his paw like hand into the jar to cover it in more peanut butter.

She didn't know whether to be relieved that Guilmon's only eating peanut butter or to be disappointed that the viral wasn't eating the food that's to be served for lunch.

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Takato watches as Henry's javelin soar through the air, Henry's javelin lands about five inches ahead of Kenta's javelin. The last person to throw for their team wasn't a Tamer so it wasn't until his name is announced did he finally match name to face.

They were the second team to be throwing the javelins; the first team to throw was the Toshiba School. The next school after their school will be Rei School, then North Ryouchei, who's followed by Odaiba School, with Ragnarok, and finally South Teruyoshi.

"Where did MarineAngemon head off to?" Kazu asks as the visor wearing Tamer searches through his pockets.

"I think he headed to the school." Rika muses and he sighs.

"I'll be back, I might as well check up on Guilmon and the others while I'm at it. I just hope that Guilmon's not munching on our lunch." Takato says as he gets up.

It doesn't take the goggle wearing Tamer long to get into the building and though it takes him a few wrong turns to get to the lunch room, he blinks as he finds not just Guilmon in the cafeteria, but somebody he never expected to see again.

_Gatomon…_ The girl turned boy thinks as the cat Digimon turns to look at him.

"Takatomon!" Guilmon manages to shout and it's not long before his current partner has tackled him.

"How many times to I got to tell you, boy, I'm not a Digimon." The goggle wearing Tamer says, forgetting that his old partner was in the room.

It takes him a few minutes to get his partner off of him and he smiles at Gatomon, he tries to ignore the heart ache within as he addresses the cat Digimon.

"Hi, I'm Takato Matsuki. You're a Gatomon, right?" He asks and Gatomon nods slowly in acknowledgement of his greeting and question.

"Sorry if Guilmon caused you any trouble, he just likes to goof off." He adds when it seems that she's not going to say anything.

"It's nice to met you,… Takato. I got to go now, see you around I guess." Gatomon says and he nods, he watches as the white cat Digimon head out of the cafeteria.

His heart goes out to her, it really did but he doesn't call out to her. He knows it's better that nobody knows about who he use to be, it would only cause those that cared for Kari pain and he doesn't want the Digidestine to reject who he is now, Takato Matsuki, Digimon Tamer and partner to Guilmon.

"Let's go find the others, boy." Takato says after a few minutes, Guilmon looks slightly sad, most likely picking up on his feelings after Gatomon was out of sight.

Guilmon nudges his arm and he puts his hand on top of Guilmon's head, his fingers scratching the top of Guilmon's head.

"I'm here for you, Takatomon." Guilmon says softly and he smiles weakly.

"I know you are, boy, I know you are." Takato says softly, that helps the ache in his heart and within a few more minutes he gets his emotions under control so they can head out to see what the other Digimon were up to.

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TK finds Gatomon as he comes out of the boy's public washroom. He studies the white cat Digimon for a second before asking, "What's wrong, Gatomon?"

Gatomon pauses and looks at him. "I… I met someone who looks like Kari. His name's Takato Matsuki." She tells him.

TK blinks and asks, "What does he look like?" Though he could hazard a guess as to who fits that description.

"Well, he's wearing yellow goggles, his uniform is white and gold, and he's got Kari's reddish brown eyes." Gatomon tells him, TK nods.

_So, his name's Takato._ TK muses as he stares off into space as he remembers that time when they were all heading over to where the javelin throw as being held.

"That's not all; he's also partners with a large viral rookie called Guilmon. Though there seems to be about four other Digimon hanging around the school too." Gatomon adds.

"So there are other chosen children here, I wonder what they're like." TK mused.

"With the mini-Olympics, you'll probably run into him before you know it," Gatamon said.

"I wonder what he's like," TK whispered, it would be nice to have more destined friends, even one who would remind him of Kari.

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"Ack! Guilmon no!" Takato cried, as Guilmon smelled a new type of food and ran after its source. Why did Guilmon always have to run, mind you because of these chases, he among the tamers had the best stamina from repeated runs within short amount of time.

At least it wasn't a Digmon; a Digimon battle would be hard to explain to the masses.

But really, after a few years of this he really should be use to it by now.

He spun around a corner intent on catching the red rookie, only for flesh to meet flesh. Takato's eyes widened as he realized he had run into someone, he had no chance to catch himself as the force of him running sent himself forward and falling onto the other person.

Finally they were still on the floor; the world seemed to fall away. Brown bangs fell into his eyes, golden shaded blond hair fluttered across the others face. A face of an angel, a perfect pink mouth and sapphire shaded blue eyes. Familiar eyes, someone he had dreaded meeting in fear.

Red stared into blue, an eternal moment.

_TK…_ Takato thought, finally meeting his childhood friend face to face after what seemed forever. For a moment, Takato could almost forget that he had left his life as Kari. TK was there.


	4. Chapter 3

We own nothing again but the fic, and any original characters. Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

Angel of the Hazard

Chapter Three: 

TK hadn't realized people came in atomic red; in fact he was so red he looked like he was glowing. Mind you, he also was looking the same, for the skin on the back of his neck and on his face felt hot.

For a moment when the other boy landed on him, he had felt a momentary connection. But now it was gone, and all that remained was a mortifying embarrassed silence and the other boy's appearance that reminded him of Kari.

_Kari…_ He thought sadly, life was just not the same since his first female friend vanished. She might have even been his very first crush: but unless she reappeared, he would never be able to tell her.

They had searched the Digital world from top to bottom in case she was there, but no traces. In the real world, she had vanished without a clue. It was like she had ceased to exist.

Yet she was still alive, Gatomon was still alive was a clue to that. Gennai; had explained that when a human died there digital partner also died.

"I'm so sorry," the other teen said, coming to his senses. He quickly leapt up, releasing TK as he did.

"It's okay, I'm sure it was an accident," TK said as he got up, he brushed dirt off of himself.

"Oh no, he got away," the red-eyed boy said, TK blinked.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked, at that moment the other teens face brightened.

"Never mind, I see him," he aid relieved, and began running.

"Wait, what's your name?" TK called after him, suddenly knowing he had to know the other teen's name.

"It's Takato!" The boy called back, disappearing down a hallway.

_Wait, Takato!_ TK thought surprised, that was the person Gatomon had met, that meant he was a destined also.

-/-/-

With a sigh of relief, Takato leaned against the halls wall. Far enough from TK, that he wouldn't realize he had lied. He hadn't seen Guilmon, but he had to so that he could escape.

It hurt to see TK, who while older hadn't changed at all. Takato took several deep breaths, calming himself down.

Nothing could change the past, and while he missed his biological family he didn't want to say goodbye to this one.

It was so hard.

-/-/-

Terriermon cackled evilly, and held his prize over his head. He had it, the blackmail against Takato he always wanted.

He was glad he was done with the water balloons at the moment, this was so much better.

Of course, a human hand came down and took his digital camera. It was actually Henry's, but he didn't know that his partner had it at the moment.

"What's this?" Jeri asked curious, and began going through Terriermons latest pictures.

"Oh my…" she breathed, and began going red and not in embarrassment.

Terriermon, hadn't known Jeri was a Yaoi fangirl.

-/-/-

Takato felt a shiver run down his spine, something had happened. After years of these shivers, the gogglehead Tamer knew Terriermon had to be involved.

It was only the forth time this week.

-/-/-

When a giggling Jeri came towards her, Rika knew Takato must have done something in true gogglehead style.

She raised an eyebrow as Jeri passed her a camera, soon a smirk formed on her face.

"My my, quite a moment," Rika said, and went to search for a place to print it. After all, it was perfect blackmail.

"Ah ha!" Terriermon cried grabbing it; then quickly ran for it, like a devil was on his tail.

"That's it, its Rabbitmon stew!" Rika growled, and the chase began.

_It is a good picture of Takato's…_ Rika tries not to blush as she remembers the two boy's position. That only added more juice to her limbs as she chases after Terriermon, not really caring that this might not be the best idea, especially since she was a spare for the upcoming hundred yard dash.

-/-/-

Davis blinked, for a moment he had thought he had seen a hot red headed girl chasing a giant rabbit.

Alice in wonderland anyone, all they needed was a watch and a vest.

_I think I need to get more sleep tonight, I'm seeing things._ He thought. _Besides, I know for a fact that the sprinting portion of today isn't supposed to start until after lunch._

-/-/-

It was getting towards evening, by the time Takato managed to get Guilmon back to the room. He'd yet to figure out how'd he had received a room to himself, but this way he didn't have to hide Guilmon at night.

"Sleepy time," Guilmon said, and fell over at the end of the bed dead asleep. He watched amused as the viral type began to snore, Guilmon was so innocent.

Takato sighs and slowly moves the red rookie as best as he can, considering he's had loads of practice, he managed to make do. Slowly his thoughts turned to not just his encounter with TK but also which school won which event.

_Ok so North Ryouhei High won the javelin throw, Henry did place third though._ The gogglehead Tamer muses to himself before moving onto the hundred yard dash that he, oddly enough, won, though some kid from Odaida called Davis placed second and some girl from Ragnarok came in third.

_I guess chasing after Guilmon and Wild Ones helped my endurance, too back Kazu tripped on his own shoe lace…_ Takato muses before yawning and feeling the days events finally take they're toll on him.

"Sleep tight buddy," Takato whispered; Guilmon's reply was to turn over. Chuckling a bit, Takato slipped out.

Between realms of slumber, he images two people, one was dear to him years ago and the other was a more recent crush. He sighs as their images fade from his mind's eye and as he begins to feel peace descend on him, a sudden memory of pain surges through him.

The goggle wearing boy's eyes open wide as he feels pain arch through his body. He feels something shift down where the plumbing was, his hips also felt different, and lastly, so does his chest and his throat. Then as the pain leaves, his body tingles and the changes vanish, leaving him panting heavily and wondering what that was all about.

Let's just say that it took another hour before the exhausted goggle wearing boy who was, or maybe continues to be, the Digidestine of Light finally falls into a troubled sleep.

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Henry woke in time to watch as his partner Digimon giggles like a mad man. The partner sighs, he gets up to see what his partner is up to with his laptop and portal able printer. The half Chinese Tamer notices the highly embarrassing picture of Takato on top of a blond teen.

Henry quickly raps his partner on the head lightly. His partner jerks up right before turning to face him, trying to look like he wasn't trying to print blackmail material that could be used against Takato, one of his closest friends and fellow Tamer.

"Delete it, Terriermon or I will." The orange vest wearing Tamer says to his partner.

"But Henry! Think of how benefits we can get just by holding this over his head!" Terriermon whines, trying to give him puppy dog eyes.

He crosses his arms over his chest and gives Terriermon a flat look. "Don't you have enough already? Besides, I'm sure the other teen won't want others knowing about that moment let alone having the picture seen by strangers." Henry says.

Terriermon groans, he's just glad that he saved the picture on the labtop's hard drive. Terriermon closes the cable connection between the camera and the computer, the window showing the picture vanishes. Henry holds out his hand for the camera and Terriermon picks up the camera, the rookie Digimon was highly reluctant to let it go as Henry attempts to take it from his hands.

Finally Terriermon forces himself to let go of the camera and within seconds Henry deletes the picture of Takato and the blond. Henry turns the camera off before putting back on the desk with the computer and printer.

With that done, Henry turns away from his partner and heads into the washroom to have a shower before his room-mate wakes up. Which in the end, leaves Terriermon alone once more with the computer.

_You'd think he'd learn to check everything, won't you?_ The rookie muses as the vaccine Digimon brings up the picture and once he hears the show going, he prints out ten copies of the picture; he even makes sure to change the picture's name before closing the window.

Terriermon grins as he picks up the small stack of papers; he quickly puts them into Henry's book bag before he comes out of the bathroom. He can't wait to show the other Tamers and their partners…

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TK can't help but replay what happened between Takato and him, he's only glad that nobody was around when it happened or else he'll find himself being teased by not just Matt, but most members of the Digidestine group.

"TK! Wait up!" Yolei shouts and he slows down for Yolei and Cody. "Morning." He says with a bit of a smile on his face. "Morning, TK." Cody says while Yolei nods in agreement.

It's not long before they're chatting away about the rumors they overheard.

"I heard some kids from Shinjuku talk about a Digimon card game, even heard them refer to Takato as a Digimon Tamer…" Yolei muses, TK blinks in surprise as he remembers what Gatomon told him.

"He's got a partner Digimon, a 'Guilmon' if I heard right." He tells them. "What does a Guilmon look like?" Yolei wonders and he notices that Cody looks thoughtful.

"What do you know of this Digimon, Poromon?" Yolei asks her partner who's currently residing in her bag.

"I've never heard of a Guilmon before today, who told you about it, TK?" Poromon asks.

"Gatomon told me, I think she met this Digimon during the first event I think, or maybe earlier." The blond Digidestine tells them.

"Huh, I wonder if this… Takato will bring his partner to school again." Cody wonders and the blond Digidestine shrugs.

"Don't know, it's likely since I doubt he'd want his partner to remain at the hotel room without anyone to keep an eye on him." TK muses and there's an around of agreements with that.

"So, what else did you hear about from those kids from Shinjuku?" Poromon asks Yolei.

"Not much, they then began talking excitedly about that card game that I mentioned and how they can't wait for the next tournament." Yolei replies.

They made it to the school and at the entrance they waited for their friends and his brother. He notes that two schools were already here and they were, Rei Junior High and West Shinjuku. And that means that Takato's likely already here since his classmates are here too.

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Davis glances around, he was sure he spotted that odd green rabbit come this way, he also knew he was late for hooking up with his friends but he really wanted to know if that rabbit was real, so on getting a glimpse of it, he took off after it without a second thought.

It takes him a few seconds before he notices this sheet of paper stuck between the doors leading into the building. The goggle wearing teen walks over and manages to get the sheet out of the doors without ripping it.

_Ok, who's this guy and why is he on top of TK?_ Davis wonders as he stares dumbfound at what's printed on the sheet.

Then a slow smile begins to appear over his dumbfounded expression. The Digidestine of Miracles begins to chuckle as he imagines how TK and the others will react to the picture.

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_Takato whimpered; this had to be a dream, a bad dream._

_This couldn't be happening to him again: or... should he rather say her._

"_This can't be happening…" Takato... no Kari whispered in disbelief, sure she'd dreamed of this for years… but why after all this time?_

_A slim young woman stood there, her face was slimmer then her male form and was her hair a bit longer somehow? Her hands slipped to her chest, feeling a two bumps there... breasts._

_She blushed, this was actually embarrassing._

_She took deep and heavy breaths as she tried to calm herself, how could she explain this to everyone... while she could pass for her male forms twin… no one will believe she was actually Takato._

_Guilmon looked from where he had been napping, he blinked at his Tamers changed form, then gave his own version of a shrug before going back to sleep._

_Humans were so weird._ Guilmon muses as he watches his best friend and partner stand in front of him, though he's concerned about his partner since Takato has been acting strangely.

_Suddenly Kari felt extremely dizzy; she sat on the ground squeezing her eyes shut. Her entire body tingled, and she had to bite back a scream as pain shot through her body._

_She whimpered, no he whimpered._

_Crimson eyes opened sadly, Takato looked at his now male hand._

_What was going on?_

Takato shook himself out of his memories, he had yet to figure out how he had become female in the night or switched back.

_This is so screwed up_ Takato thought as he stands before the mirror in the boys' washroom at Odaiba High, ignoring the worried looks Guilmon sends his way.

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Tai slipped through the crowded halls, they were full of hyper teens moving to and thro with exhausted teachers and other authority figures that are here to help everyone... or at least trying to help.

Trying to help this crew was Chaos, it wasn't going to happen.

He had to smirk at that, he remembered being that age... heck it had only been a few years ago. He had driven the adult's nuts; he swore he saw one of the teachers crying in happiness when he graduated since he would no longer be in her class.

Davis looked like he was doing the same thing, but worse.

Sometimes that kid scared him.

Chuckling he continued on his way, Izzy and the others were suppose to meet him at a café a few minutes from here... and he was trying to not run late. For once.

A figure with chestnut shaded hair slipped across a hall twenty feet away, the figure was slim and was that of a young female. The person turned slightly to look at something that had caught there attention, Tai felt his breath get caught in his throat.

Warm crimson eyes, a familiar heart shaped face that always seemed to smile.

Then she turned away from where she was looking and continued to walk, Tai felt fear... he couldn't let her get away. His legs felt like lead, and he began to run as she turned around a corner.

"Kari!" he cried, ignoring peoples startles looks at his panicked expression. He skid as he slammed around the corner.

An empty hallway was what he found.

Tai felt all his energy run out of his body; it felt as if he'd had all the hope in the world and it had been ripped away.

"Kari…" he whispered, a tear slipping down his face.

Had… had it just been a dream?

Then the bearer of Courage curses himself for not paying any real attention to any part of her attire since that could give him a hint at which school he should keep his eye on.

Dejectedly, Tai forces himself to turn away from the empty hall and head off to join up with the other Digidestine.

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Takato hadn't realized that he'd switched once again, not until he'd felt that strange tingling sensation, though it wasn't as painful as it was last night or during his dream... Unfortunately it occurred in a middle of a crowd, thankfully defying all known logic it seemed that no one had noticed.

Takato… no, Kari had quickly begins to leave the crowded hallway just in case someone that he… she knew caught sight of her, she had to find an area to hide till she switched back into Takato...

Ok, it was official; she finds it really hard to call herself Kari since she doesn't feel like a girl any more…

With a sigh of relief, Takato once again felt herself become male… the body he was use to now, the body that he grew into...

"Kari…"

He froze; no it couldn't be… it was Tai standing at the entrance into the hallway.

He had seen him when he was a her!

He leaned against a wall and slid to the ground, he hugged his knees to his chest as tears slipped down his face.

"I'm sorry Nii-san," he cried, he had no idea what to do.

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"Hello lady and gents, this is the annual... okay not so annual… Digidestine get together. Cheer everyone!" Yolei said announcer style, the older destined looked on the purple haired girl's actions in amusement. It wasn't often they got to see the girl act this immature like this, other then arguing with Davis that is.

"We're still waiting for Tai," Matt pointed out, Yolei turned and frowned.

"He's always late though," she points out with her arms crossed over her chest.

"But he's really late this time," Sora adds softly, leaning against Matt's side as the blond pulls her in a comforting embrace.

"You're right; I'll try calling his cell... if that fails we can always create a search party to go look for him," Matt said flipping out his cell phone.

"No need," a tired voice replies, Matt looked up in relief to see Tai standing there with a rather sad smile on his face, the elder blond's heart goes out to his best friend when he meets Tai's sad eyes… and was it just his imagination or was Tai's eyes red rimmed from shedding tears.

"Tai?" Matt questions softly.

"It's nothing," Tai said, waving away his concern as Tai heads to sit down on one of the feet chairs.

Matt decided to let it go for now, but he promises himself to ask his friend about what's bothering him after this meeting.

"Look what I have!" Davis chirped happily, pulling out a sheet of paper with a photo on it., not that Matt paid it much mind until…

"What is it?" Ken asked, leaning forward; then his face went red and turned to stare to the younger blond in the room.

"What?" TK asked curious, Davis looked ready to hide it but Ken plucked it out of Davis's hands and handed it to the younger blond Digidestine.

"Dear Lord no! Where the heck did you get this? I'll kill you if you're the one that took the picture!" cries a highly mortified TK as he lunges towards the young goggle wearing teen of the Digidestine, it wasn't long before chaos followed as Davis flees before the bearer of Hope's wrath.

"Tai... what's wrong?" Matt asks as he folds the sheet of paper his younger brother dropped while everyone was busy trying to stop Davis from taunting TK and TK killing him. He'll investigate it at a later date, though, for now, he wants to talk with his best friend.

"I saw Kari, if only for a moment and then she vanished on me again," Tai says softly, and tears threaten to fall.

The elder blond glances to where Sora is, the bearer of Love was currently has her hands full as she stands before TK and Davis, trying to keep the two from getting physical. Seeing that Sora wasn't able to help him with Tai, he attempts to give Tai comfort as best as he, another man, could.

Matt puts a comforting hand on Tai's shoulder as he stands by his best friend and often times rival. Tai blinks as he fights back the tears, though a few escape his attempts though the ex-goggle wearing leader of the Digidestine swipes the tears with the back of his hand.

"I hate myself for not being able to see more then her face… If I had seen her shirt or something, I would know where to start looking but I didn't… I feel so useless." Tai says and the elder blond sighs mentally as he squeezes Tai's shoulder as he attempts to catch Sora's eye so she could come over her and give Tai the attention he deserves.

Finally, Sora gives up as Joe takes over trying to calm TK down with Ken trying to distract Davis from taunting TK. When Sora notices his frantic look and Tai's sadden face, Sora comes straight towards them. It's not long before Sora is giving Tai a comforting hug as she murmurs comforting words, glancing at him with a questioning look.

'Later.' Matt mouths and Sora nods. Tai murmurs hateful things about himself for a few more seconds until Tai finally gains controlled over his emotions. "Thanks you guys, I needed that." Tai says and Matt nods, feeling much better now that Tai isn't on the verge of tears since when it comes to anyone other then his little brother, he doesn't know how to comfort them.

The elder blond's eyes glance towards Gatomon as she watches the rest of the Digidestine, TK in particular, which wasn't all that uncommon since TK had been Kari's best friend.

He again wonders why Gatomon still prefers to hang out at Tai's when it's kind of clear that TK's the one taking care of her most of the time but shrugs it off, guessing that Gatomon wants to stay where Kari's presence still remains since Tai's never had that heart to get rid of most of Kari's stuff even though boxing it up would give Tai more room to put his junk.


	5. Chapter 4

We own nothing again but the fic, and any original characters. Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

Angel of the Hazard

Chapter Four:

Gatomon paces before TK's partner, Patamon. Patamon had followed after her once the Digidestine had settled down, it's been a while since they've hung out but then, Patamon had spent an extra day in the Digital world to recover from a minor fight that had broken out in the restaurant he had been eating at and had felt that he need to stop said fight, so she had been alone yesterday when she met that viral Digimon named Guilmon.

But then, the other Digidestine Digimon hadn't been around with the exception of Veemon, but the blue rookie spent the day hanging out with Davis.

Gatomon frowns as she recalls how that boy Takato and his partner Guilmon had interacted, it really didn't help matters that the boy shared Kari's eyes…

"Want to talk about it?" Patamon asks her with concern in his eyes.

The white cat champion Digimon smiles sadly at her dearest friend before looking towards the window, glancing out at the buildings.

"You know that kid that was in that picture Davis showed up with?" The vaccine Digimon asks the orange rookie.

Patamon nods and she continues, "I met him in the cafeteria yesterday and even stalked his partner Digimon for a while there too."

She feels her ears droop and curls her tail about her feet as she adds, "Just watching them interact… It was just too painful, Patamon! Why is it that out of all the Digidestine that it was Kari that had to disappear? Why couldn't it be Davis? Why did it have to be my partner, especially after everything I went through at the hands of Myotismon? Why do I always have to be alone?"

Patamon launches himself from his position and flies towards her as tears flow from her blue eyes. Patamon hugs her as best as he can and Gatomon pulls him in deeper into said hug.

"But you're not alone, Gatomon. You have TK, Tai, Agumon, and me here to support you until we puzzle out why Kari left." Patamon says.

"I know, I know you're there for me, Patamon, but there are times I wish that I had been the one to get hit by that Digimon's attack, not Kari." The white cat Digimon tells her friend.

"Have you ever wondered just what that attack was supposed to do? I mean, TK still wonders about it from time to time and maybe it affected Kari in a way that didn't leave any physical marks, like make her relive her worst nightmares or something like that." Patamon muses and she sighs.

"Maybe, but then, shouldn't it have worn off by now? I don't know, Patamon, I just don't know." Gatomon tells her orange friend, she lets the rookie go and he scratches the back of his head as he stands up.

"So… Did you want me to hang out with you at school tomorrow then? I'm sure TK won't mind me tagging along." Her fellow vaccine Digimon says.

The white cat Digimon nods as she says, "I'd like that and maybe we can figure out what's up with that virus Digimon called Guilmon."

With that said Gatomon and Patamon kind of curl up before the window to take a nap. Although Gatomon can't get her mind off of Takato or his uncanny eyes that resembles Kari's eyes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Takato sighs as he watches as Guilmon does a cannon ball off the diving board, causing a large splash which hits Terriermon who's floating on his back. He chuckles as he watches as Terriermon curses Guilmon, he can't help but think that Terriermon deserved that considering the picture that the rookie handed out.

Takato can't believe… ok, scratch that, he can believe it since this was Terriermon he's thinking about, took that highly embarrassing picture of when he had bummed into TK, his old best friend back when he was known as Kari and considered himself to be a girl.

Though the goggle wearing Tamer can't help but wonder why Jeri would want to hold onto said picture though since unlike the other Tamers, Jeri never struck him as someone who likes to hold onto black mail material.

_I might have been born a girl but it seems I know longer understand the mind of other girls._ Takato muses as he glances to the hot tub where Jeri and Henry were sitting.

The goggle wearing teen closes his eyes as he muses about the irony of that, but then, he knows he can't go back to being Kari Kamiya. Though when he does change genders he considering the girl he turns into to be Kari, but, deep down, he knows that she was killed little by little during that first year away from the Kamiyas as he adjusts to his new life as Takato Matsuki, adopted son of Takehiro Matsuki and Mie Matsuki and cousin to Kai, the first kid he befriended.

"So, you seem deep in thought." Takato hears Rika states.

"Just thinking about how I'll never understand the fairer gender." He says as he opens his eyes to look at the red head that's his current crush.

Rika rolls her violet eyes but seems to be amused. "Is that why you're taken with blonds now?" Rika asks.

Takato groans slightly before answering, "It's not like that…"

"Oh? And what is it like?" Rika asks but before he can answer, Guilmon pops up under him, causing him to flop onto his back.

"Takatomon?" Guilmon asks questioningly as his partner turns to look at him as he rights himself.

Laughter reaches his ears and he glances to where Terriermon was chuckling.

Terriermon shakes his head once a wave of water almost sinks him below the surface of the pool. The green rookie comes up and spits water out of his mouth as Guilmon giggles.

"Takato!" Terriermon shouts and he just grins slightly on hearing Terriermon's tone.

"Good one, gogglehead." Rika says and he grins on hearing his nickname.

"Henry! Aren't you going to do anything about this?" Terriermon shouts and Henry pauses in his conversation with the other kids in the hot tub to glance at his partner.

"Oh? And what do you want me to do about it?" Henry asks as the half Chinese Tamer walks over towards the edge of the pool.

"I don't know, tell them to stop being rude?" Terriermon suggest grumpily as the Digimon attempts to cross his arms as he tries to stay a float in the pool.

Henry sighs a long suffering sigh and glances towards Rika and him since Guilmon grew bored and had headed towards the shallows to play tag with the kids hanging out over there.

"Well, you could come over to the hot tub with me if they're bothering you too much." Henry begins and Terriermon grumbles but a look from Rika sends the green rookie out of the pool, following his partner to the hot tub.

Takato glances side ways at Rika, wondering why she 'help' chase Terriermon away…

"By the way, aren't you going to wear a bathing suit?" Takato asked the red-head, as if just realizing that she's wearing cloths. Rika smirked; she was wearing a pair of shorts and a loose top that's now clinging wet to her body.

"Who says I'm not," Rika says as she pulls off her shorts, revealing a red suit bottoms. Then the top came off, revealing she was wearing a two piece... aka a bikini. Takato felt his face go red... The goggle wearing Tamer can't believe that Rika's wearing a bikini, a red strapless bikini top that showed off her well developed breasts... better developed then he'd imagine.

'_Holy…'_ Takato thought, as he mentally reminds himself not to drool.

Rika was a total babe and he can't help but wonder if she's doing this on purpose...

"Like what you see," she said; leaning till her lisp were at his ears.

'_She's doing this on purpose.'_ Takato thinks as he nods dumbly. He's not that surprised that Rika's more developed then his female body… but then, he never really examined his original form like he's examining Rika's body.

Of course, being the rather suggestive scene it was becoming... of course something had to mess it up...

He praises the gods when he heard…

"Whys your face all red Takato, and why's Rika leaning on you like that... is it a new game?" a childish voice asked. Takato quickly tried to drown himself, and Rika looked ready to murder the person who had interrupted them.

Calumon blinks rather cutely, then, for once, the in training Digimon realizes that he's in danger for once... fled, likely to wherever Jeri was. This turned out to be towards the hot tub, giving his fellow two Tamers a view of what's going on between Rika and himself.

"Next time Gogglehead," Rika promises as she realizes where they were, and then swims to the edge of the pool to climb out of it. Henry and Rika walk pass each other as Henry comes to the pool to talk with him as Rika heads for the hot tub. Takato forces himself not to nosebleed. _'But damn... she had a great butt.'_ He finds himself thinking, not paying much attention as Henry enters into the pool.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So these are what Digimon cards look like," Ken muses as he looks through the starter kits and booster packs of cards they'd picked up just awhile ago. Ever since they'd heard of the game, the Digidestined had been overly curious and highly excited to get their hands on the card game and learn how to play it. After all, there were cards based off their partners and those Digimon that they befriended.

"Sweet, I even got a Veemon card!" Davis crowed before he goes to opened up another pack, Ken just chuckles at his best friend's childish antics.

"Quiet... trying to play," Cody says, from where Yolei and himself were trying to play the game, key work was 'trying.' For all their experience at battling with there partners, the two couldn't seem to get hold of the game and its rules.

At the moment the group of them were sitting in the almost deserted cafeteria, they were sitting near the windows on the far side of the room. Cody and Yolei weren't the only ones having a rather bad go at attempting to battle each other, they were noobies at the game after all and they didn't know anyone who could help steer them through a game or two.

Davis did the only mature thing that he could think of, which was stucking his tongue out at the younger Digidestine; Ken just rolled his eyes at the lack of maturity that his friends were displaying.

As Ken turns to face the blond of their group, he finds TK was looking rather distracted at the moment and his blue eyes were scanning the crowd of Shinjuku students. Curious, Ken stared around also, wondering who the holder of hope was searching for.

"So TK; is there something wrong?" Ken finally asks the blond, which causes TK blink as the blond bearer of Hope begins to realize that he had zoned out on his friends.

"I was…" TK trails off for a moment. "Hoping to see that boy from the other day, I want to tell him about that picture of us." Ken nods and TK then admits, "He reminds me of Kari, truth be told. I know, I know that he's a guy and therefore isn't Kari but still…"

It was at that moment that Ken grinned; as he caught sight of a pair of yellow goggles... a pair he recognized from a certain picture that Davis found. The holder of Kindness also notices that the teen's balancing some drinks in his arms.

"Well, then your in luck your boyfriend is just over there," Ken teasingly; TK stares at him in disbelief at the boyfriend remark but glances just in time to watch Takato heading out of the large room with one of the students from Shinjuku holding the door open for him.

"He's not my boyfriend," TK states as the blond begins to take off in the direction Takato's heading in. TK tries to brush off Ken's comments since for one thing he was straight… Boys just didn't interest him hat way... no matter how much they looked like Kari.

"That's not what the picture looked like," Ken calls out, grinning rather evilly, TK pauses for a moment to turn and glare at the brunette.

"I'll get back at you later," TK states in a matter of fact tone before resuming his desire to talk with Takato about that picture, then in heading out of the halls and taking off in the direction that he hopes will lead him towards Takato who's likely heading outside the building with his hands full of drinks.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Takato can't help but wonder how it was that he's the solo Tamer sent to fetch the refreshments. Sure Kazu and Jeri were going through their paces as they battled on the ground with their cards, he's got a wager with Henry that Jeri will win two matches with Kazu while Henry bet that the matches will be interrupted when the games start. He waged his hologram WarGreymon card to Henry's Magnadramon hologram card.

"Hey, Takato, wait up!" The goggle wearing Tamer pauses for a moment and glances over his shoulder to find TK quickly gaining now that he's waiting for the blond.

"Can I help you?" Takato asks the blond, wondering what they could possibly talk about since they hadn't had an actual conversation before.

"Well, I just thought I'd warn you about this picture floating around of the time we collided with each other." The bearer of Hope says.

"Oh, that! I guess there would be more copies then what he was owing up to." Takato muses as he remembers Terriermon swearing there were only seven copies of that picture.

"Here, let me help with those." TK offers and within seconds TK is walking with him towards a stand of trees that the Tamers were hanging out at.

"Oh I forgot, I'm Takeru, though I prefer TK." TK says before they get a clear view of Tamers … and their partners.

"Which one is your partner?" TK asks once the goggle wearing Tamer calls out a greeting.

"The red one." Takato answers with an affectation smile.

'_That's one big Digimon, but then, the fox is just as tall.'_ TK muses to himself as he studies the Digimon hanging around the group of what he assumed to be Digidestine.

"Takatomon!" TK grins as the dino Digimon charges up to the goggle wearing Tamer but stops short of the teen as the red Digimon glances his way, already sniffing him.

"Who's your friend?" Jeri asks with a smile on her face, TK likes her already.

"This is TK and he was kind enough to help me carry these drinks. It also seems that he found another sheet with that picture on it." Takato says, sending Terriermon a meaningful look.

"Momentai, Takato, Momentai!" The green rookie chirps, TK hands a drink to the orange vest wearing teen as said teen remarks, "Terriermon, no computer for the rest of today and tomorrow. Also, I'm Henry Wong and as you can already tell, the loud mouth is my partner."

"I'm Kenta and this little guy is MarineAngemon. Kazu's the one playing against Jeri." The glass wearing teen says and TK notices the tiny pink Digimon that seems to be hovering over Kenta's shoulder before glancing at the familiar visor wearing teen that had trouble with their school's banner.

"And my partner is Guardromon." Kazu says with pride and TK glances at the red head and then at the humanoid looking fox Digimon.

"That's Rika and her partner is Renamon." Takato says and then pauses for a moment before adding, "You know about the card game right?" Takato motions to the cards on the ground.

TK blinks and says, "Heard about it recently." One of TK's hands goes to his latest acquisitions. "Well, Rika's the current champ, has been for the last few years now." Takato says and he blinks, he's surprised to learn that the game has been around for so long.

Takato then pats the red Digimon that's standing to his right, the Digimon is currently gulping down one of Takato's drinks. "This is Guilmon and if you see a white guy with a red upside down triangle on his fore, that's Calumon. He doesn't really have a partner." Takato says and TK raises an eyebrow at that.

"Mind if I hang out here until the events are about to begin?" TK asks as he watches Jeri do something by putting down a card and Kazu groans, "Oh man!"

"Sure, we might as well get to know more about Takato's boyfriend." Terriermon remarks and TK notices the few glares sent in Terriermon's direction.

"Terriermon…" Henry says as the orange vest wearing teen punches the rookie lightly on the head. "Momentai, Henry, Momentai!"


	6. Chapter 5

We own nothing again but the fic, and any original characters. Co-Authors of this story are Firehedgehog and RockBane

Angel of the Hazard

Chapter Five:

As Takato watches Kazu and Kenta play Digimon the card game, his thoughts drift to when he got his first pack of card. Pretty much forgetting that his old best friend, TK, was sitting next to him as Takato loses himself in that memory.

-o-o-o-o-

He hadn't expected them to buy so many things, after all he wasn't related by blood to them… but the bed, the dresser and the many many things his new room had were amazing.

"Wow..." he breathed, and it was all his... he didn't even have to share it with Tai…

_Tai_… damn... he was thinking of his biological family again. He had to stop, or everything would be tainted by the pain of leaving everything behind.

"I'm guessing you like it," his new father grinned, Takato could only nod.

"I left something to the bedside table, I thought you might find it interesting," the man said "Get comfortable kid, come downstairs when you're ready," he said.

"Um... yeah, thanks," Takato said lamely.

The man left, leaving the red eyes boy alone in his new room. Curious, he walked to the bedside table wondering what was left there. He was surprised, they were giving him more... when they'd already given him so much.

"A pack of cards…?" Takato said frowning, his eyes widened when he saw the name.

Digimon cards

Quickly he ripped open the package, looking over the familiar forms of Digimon he had met in the past.

That night when he went to bed, he had a certain card clenched in his hands. A Gatomon card.

OoOoO

Takato snaps out of his thoughts as he hears his name being called. "Huh?" The girl turned boy asks as his focus returns to the real world.

"The games are about to begin, we got to head in to change into our uniforms." Henry repeats and the yellow goggle wearing Tamer nods as he gets up off the ground.

They glance at their partners and Takato sighs. "Ok, boy, the same rules apply today as they did yesterday, got it?" The virus Tamer says.

"Okay Takatomon," Guilmon said, Takato sighed. He'd get rid of the mon part yet.

Quickly Takato headed off to change, not noticing Rika trailing after him. Guilmon cocks his head to the side as the red head passes him before shrugging and heading off to find someone to play with.

He was almost to the changing room when it happened, this time it was painful extremely painful. With a gasp, Takato slipped into an empty room, and leaned against a wall in hope that its coolness would cool his rapidly heating up body.

A whimper slipped from his lips, and suddenly it was over and sweat slipped down his. No… He was now a she. She trembles slightly as she tries to calm her nerves.

"What the hell!" a female voice whispered, crimson shaded eyes widened as she realized that she'd had an audience for her most painful transformation. She slowly turns to face them.

"Rika..." she gulped, this is not good, not good at all.

"Kari..." a hopeful female voice whispered, the brown haired girl turned and gulped as a feline shape mostly white in colour slipped from behind a desk. Tearful blue eyes stared at her.

'_Gatomon'_ Takato thought, this wasn't good at all as his/her heart aches just being this close to the champion level cat Digimon.

-o-o-o-o-

Rika may have been called the ice queen or Digimon queen by many, but she did have a heart and cared about people. Especially about certain red-eyed gogglehead, after all he was the one person she could count on... not even her father who had abandoned her could she say that bout a male.

When it concerned Takato, she knew when something was wrong.

Something was defiantly wrong, she could see something was bothering him. And part of it was the blond boy, TK she thought his name was.

"What the hell!" Rika said, after all she had just seen Takato... change genders of all things. Red eyes looked at her startled, and apparently Fem-Takato was a cute female too.

"Kari..." a hopeful female voice whispered, the brown haired girl turned and gulped as a feline shape mostly white in colour slipped from behind a desk. Tearful blue eyes stared at her.

'_A Gatomon'_ Rika thought and then the name caught her attention. Especially since Takato was looking very guilty. Quietly she closed the rooms door and locked it, Takato couldn't enter the games while female, and this mystery she had to know the truth.

"Better get talking goggles," Rika said, and wondered when Takato would become male again. Takato so owed her kisses for this... but as a guy.

-o-o-o-o-

It… was different to go to school as a boy.

Takato sighed as he walked home; so far he hadn't made any friends. It sucked big time, before as Kari he'd always had lots of friends. But he'd left them all behind, and inside he knew that he was scared he would have to leave again.

Would he have to keep running?

Good thing he hadn't been chosen as the child of Courage, he was nowhere near enough brave enough. After all, he couldn't even face his family after h woke up that day with his life screwed over.

'_Courage, I could use some of that'_ he thought sadly.

He was scared out of his wits as a cat yowled nearby and ran off, knocking down a couple of trash can. Takato breathed a sigh of relief, and gathered his wits after that little sideshow.

The brunette was about to walk away when a gleam of light hitting something caught his attention, leaning over the spilled trash he saw a blue glass surrounded by yellow plastic. H picked it up, and was surprised to see it was a rather new goggle's. Bit dirty, but a bit of washing would fix that.

'_Almost like__ the ones Tai wears,'_ he though; fondly thinking of his brother.

"A bit of courage," he murmured under his breath and pocketed the goggles, these would remind him of Tai and in that memory he'd have the courage to move on.

'Its time for me to stop running' he thought.

OoOoO

It had been an impulse that caused the white cat Digimon to follow the red hazel eyed teen named Takato Matsuki that was in turn being followed by a red head. Gatomon had managed to slip into the room without either of the humans realising it and had witnessed something that left her numb inside.

"Kari…" She says, not realising she hadn't said it loud enough for the two teens to hear it until Kari turns to face not just the red head, Rika if the boy turned girl ID the girl.

"Better get talking goggles." The red head states in a slightly threatening tone.

The teen that had just shifted genders sighs and asks, "Where do you want me to… ah, start?"

"At the beginning would be nice, gogglehead." The red head teen states and Gatomon nods in agreement.

Kari, as Gatomon firmly thinks of the goggle wearing teen, seems to frown and looks down to the ground. Then after a few seconds, Kari straightens up and glances first at Rika, then at her, and back to Rika.

"Well, back before I was adopted by the Matsuki at age nine, my name was Hikari Kamiya, or Kari Kamiya." Kari says.

"At age eight, I met Gatomon," the gender shifting teen nods her way as she continues, "and we found out that we were partners. My current elder brother and his friends at the time were looking for the eighth member of their group, which turned out to be me."

Kari pauses, memories of how she, Gatomon, had been contemplating offing the kind girl who had known Agumon. The white cat feels a flash of guilt about that but in the end, it had worked out. Well, until Kari ran away…

"Things were fine after we completed our task." Kari says, her eyes distant for a few seconds before Kari snaps out of it, "And then, we ran into a Wisemon…" The reddish hazel eyed teen states in a slightly haunted tone.

-o-o-o-o-

"Eight balls of lust!" a male voice shouted, a beige hood and cape like bits of cloth fluttered in a breeze that wasn't there... and by that Kari thought it literally.

Metallic spheres appeared in the air and scattered, they hit there digmon forcing them back… a couple even dedigivolved.

Glowing yellow eyes stared out of its glowing hood, that and its dark garb caused Kari to wonder how powerful the digimon was. Powerful enough, if the down form of Tokomon was any indication. It was a virus type, and Gatomon had called him Wisemon.

Kari gasped as one of the spheres grazes her cheek, blood well thee for a moment and dripped down her face.

"Kari," Angewomon shouted, flying towards her partner.

"Such Loyalty, I foresee much strife and hardship for you child of light," Wisemon laughed darkly, his hands began to glow a sickly green.

"Enjoy a gift from me," Wisemon said, you could feel his demented smile. The green energy slammed Angewoman away from Kari, Kari eyes widened as Wisemon was suddenly in front of her and leaning down. The face was so dark, everything was suddenly so cold... goose bumps rose on her arms.

"Pandora Dialogue: Gender Dilemma," Wiseman hissed into her ears; then she was falling into the darkness of his face, those eyes burning into her brain. The last thing Kari remembered; was Tai's frantic yells.

OoOoO

Rika couldn't decide what to say after she heard the story of how a girl named Kari turned into a boy who would become known as Takato.

"So, from age nine onward, you've been a guy." She muses and the gender shifting teen nods. "So then, do you know when you'll change back?" The red head asks.

She got a slight glare from the champion level Digimon, "She's a girl, not a guy!"

As if to answer Rika's question, the goggle wearing teen's body begins to undergo a transformation. The 'girl' gains a bit of height and the chest area shrinks as the facial features alter as well.

And soon where a cute girl had been standing, a cute if slightly goofy looking boy was now scratching the back of his head. "I guess that decides it." Takato muses and before any of them could say anything, there's a knock at the door.

"Hurry up you two! You're running late! So Rika, stop what you're doing to Takato and come grab these cloths that Jeri sent over. I also have Takato's as well." Kenta says.

Gatomon arcs an imaginary eyebrow at that bit about Rika 'doing' something to her partner. Rika snorts slightly but heads over to the door. Some cloths on hangers were slipped into the room before Rika closed the door.

The red head tosses the guy's uniform to… well seeing as she's a he, she'll have to call him Takato. The two turn around and begin to change into the uniforms, though she did give the girl a mild glare when it looked like she was about to turn to examine her partner naked.

Rika mentally sighs as well as cursed the fact that the white Digimon seemed to be highly protective of her gogglehead. Though the Digimon Queen couldn't help but wonder how Guilmon will react to the fact that the Digimon known as Gatomon will be hanging around Takato from now on.

As the pair leaves the room, Gatomon follows after them, though she had pause to notice a human fox shadow also following them. She figures that the shadow must belong to Rika's partner, since she highly doubts that Takato is the only one to have a Digimon partner out of the pair.

-o-o-o-o-

Jeri watches as Takato and Rika walk out of the school. She sighs as she notices the looks that the two were sending to each other.

The brown haired girl was happy that Takato had found somebody, even if it wasn't her. Though she's even more overjoyed to find that Rika like Takato.

It felt like yesterday when she first laid eyes on the unofficial leader of the Tamer…

-o-o-o-o-

Takato picked nervously at his new shirt, it was uncomfortable and hot in the humid air. It was so hot, he was pretty sure that this time of year it should be cooler. Sweat dripped down his face, this was ridicules.

"Class, today we're going to play a game of soccer," the teacher said, Takato gave a nervous look around as the class began to argue who joins which team.

"Takato, take the place next to Miss Katou. Katou, raise you hand," the teacher said, a brown hared girl his age raised her hand giving a weak smile in a rather shy way. He's been attending this school for the last two days already and he still getting to know the names of his classmates.

"Nice to meet you," Takato whispered as he stands next to her, maybe they could be friends.

"Konnichi wa… welcome to West Shinjuku Elementary Matsuki-kun," Katou said.

"Call me Takato please," he said, Matsuki-kun made him feel old and weird.

"Then call me Jeri," she said smiling, Takato hoped that they would be friends as their attention returns to the team captains calling out names.


	7. Chapter 6

We own nothing but the actual fic and any OC's.

**Angel of the Hazard**

Chapter Six:

"Tired..." Takato muttered, falling onto the bed his face landing on his pillow, it had been a long active day especially tiring was the stressful talk with Rika and Gatomon. Nearby Guilmon lay looking at a manga, he was going to kill Ryo for getting Guilmon addicted to the books.

But at last he had some time to rest, and he was of the male gender at the moment. It was a bit stressful switching genders.

He still wasn't sure how he'd ended not sharing a room with anyone, originally it had been Kenta would be sharing a room with him, but the other Tamer had just grinned and went to stay with Kazu... sometimes those two worried him.

Suddenly there was a light knock at his door, he sighed deeply knowing that it was probably Rika wanting ask more questions, that are likely probably embarrassing ones at that.

'_Might as well get this over with'_ he thought, he got off the rather comfy bed and went to the door, where someone was impatiently knocking.

"About time,"' a female voice said, but definitely not who he thought it would be.

"Gatomon!" Takato said startled, seeing his first partner.

"You actually thought I would let you out of my sight again," Gatomon said, then headed inside. Takato closed the door.

Gatomon peered around the room with narrowed eyes, they then settled on the red rookie who was grinning up at her from his manga collection.

"Now... you have some explaining to do," Gatomon said, and sent a look at the digimon who she was now sharing her partner with. Takato knew this would be a long night.

OoOoO

Takato was sound asleep, his face looking rather angelic when he wasn't awake.

Meanwhile, Guilmon was half asleep... or was it half asleep? He was curled up at the bottom of the bed, reminding her of a big red scaled dog in a weird way.

"Do you hate me?" Gatomon whispered to her sleeping partner. "Is that why you left me behind when your world was turned upside down."

She had so many questions; so many doubts left from that awful day Kari had vanished. She feared that if she fell asleep, the person in front of her would vanish.

"...katomon doesn't hate anyone, might get angry... but never hate," a sleep slurred voice said; startled she saw half veiled golden shaded eyes.

"Why... Why did Kari leave me behind," Gatomon cried.

"Cuz he loves you,' Guilmon muttered, and fell fully asleep.

Gatomon stared confused at the virus sleeping form, not understanding it really.

"Gatomon..." a voice said, turning she saw that Takato was barely awake and staring at her.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Gatomons said.

"Time to sleep," Takato smiled, and to Gatomon's surprise hugged her to his chest in a cuddle and feel asleep.

'_Goodnight Takato, I'll protect you. And don't even think of running away. This time I'll be at your side'_ Gatomon thought as sleep claimed her.

OoOoO

"Takatomon… Taka-to-mon!" With a groan, the teen rolls over and opens his hazel red eyes as he stretches his legs slightly before hearing a thump on the floor.

"What's wrong, boy?" Takato asks with a yawn as Gatomon grunts slight before leaping back onto the bed, it seems that when he had moved, the blankets followed him and he rolled and that caused the white cat Digimon to be closer to the edge then before. It's likely when he stretched, he might have kicked his old partner onto the floor…

"Sorry Gatomon." The teen says as Gatomon gives him a sleepy glare.

"Just make sure you don't do that again." Gatomon states in a gruff voice and he nods in agreement.

"I'll try and remember that." Takato says with a hint of amusement.

"Taka-to-mon!" Guilmon finally pipes in, clearly impatient with him.

"Yes Guilmon?" The teen asks as the red rookie.

"Can I go swimming with Calumon?" The virus rookie asks with a slightly pleading look on his scaly face.

"Sure. Though, by the wait, where **is** Calumon?" He asks and a slight knock on the window answers that question.

Gatomon watches in amusement with a touch annoyance as her currently male partner opens up the window to allow the young white Digimon known as Calumon into the room. She's not too thrilled to see the water balloon throwing Digimon, though it makes some kind of odd sense that the in-training Digimon was part of Takato's group, since the number of strange Digimon pretty much screams that fact.

"Hey! You want to come with us too?" Calumon asks once seeing her on the bed before then rapidly adding, "Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?"

Gatomon blinks slightly as Calumon move circles around her head. Takato chuckles slightly before stopping when the champion Digimon gives him a slightly dirty look.

"I don't think Gatomon would enjoy taking a swim, Calumon." Takato says, knowing full well that water and cats equalled disaster.

Especially cats of the Digital variety…

"Oh." Calumon says, his ears shrink and then turns to look at Takato himself. "Do you want to come swimming with us?" Calumon asks, Takato finds himself staring into wide innocent green eyes.

-o-o-o-o-o-

How they got the pool to themselves was a mystery in itself, one that Takato was glad for. It was easier to keep people from running from the two splashing digimon in the water. Guilmon was jumping around saying he was a Frogmon, and Calumon had almost drowned himself twice saying he was a Scubamon.

Gatomon, still in her 'your not getting out of my sight anytime soon' mood, was sitting as far away as she could but still near enough to protect her partner, that and out of splashing range.

Guilmon was a large size for a rookie, and all the jumping he was doing was sending up large qualities of the evil thing known as water to the feline Digimons annoyance.

"So mature," a female voice said sarcastically, startled Gatomon looked up to see that the red head from the other day... Rika she reminded herself walking into the pool area.

"There males, well... sometimes female in some cases," Gatomon muses as she saw that the violet eyed teen was wearing a rather nice deep blue bikini that showed off her tanned skin.

"Crap..." Rika suddenly said looking towards the pool, Gatomon sighed seeing that Takato was now female again and topless... since he... err she as a male hadn't been wearing a shirt while swimming.

Really good thing no one else was about.

"Well, at least we know that as a female she doesn't stuff her bra," Rika said thoughtfully, Gtaomon snickered and Taka… Kari looked mortified.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"We have a problem," Rika said, once she had dragged femme Takato into a changing room, quickly the brunette dried herself off and pulled on her normal clothing. Her face was still a deep red from blushing, but at least no one other then Rika in human terms had seen it.

'_I so don't need Terriermon with a camera right now'_ Takato thought, somewhere else Terriermon sneezed and got chased away from a prank he'd been about to pull.

"You mean other then the fact I just switched genders again, and this time no tingling or pain to warn me of changing," Takato said adjusting her goggles in her still damp hair.

"Duh, and that until you change back we have to keep you out of sight of the other Tamers and the destined, your not ready to fess up to them about your 'little' problem to them," Rika said.

"Who turned your sarcastic to full blast today?" Takato asked in wonder.

"One word, Kazu," Rika said.

"Ah," Takato said, and decided not to ask more.

"Now the fun part," Rika said, a full blown smirk appearing on her face.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Gatomon muttered.

"And that is?" Takato asked looking more liek she was facing her doom.

"Mom sent dresses with me on this trip and now at least they'll be of some use, I think the pink one will look best on you till you change back," Rika said very very cheerfully, it was going to be a very long day.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Takato was grumpy, but since Rika had forced her into the evil pink thing she had every reason to be. She really hoped that she managed to get into normal clothing before she switched again, so far she hadn't back to what she now considered normal. A male.

She had no idea why the red head was in such a bad mood, but she'd figure it out sooner or later. _'Though I'd lay money on either Kazu or Ryo being part of the reason.'_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Cyberdramon sneezes and Ryo glances at him before saying, "Bless you." To which the ultimate level Digimon only grunt an acknowledgement before Ryo goes back to reading his manga.

-o-o-o-o-o-

And then Takato pauses mid step for a heart as she muses, _'Please oh please don't let anyone I know see me like this'_ Takato prays to elder gods or even Digital ones.

Already she's got a large lump within her midsection. Gatomon sends a worried look to her partner, wondering if the idea of wearing a dress was going to cause her to bolt.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Gatomon giggled, Kari er.. Takato looked so adorable in a dress. Pink was definitely her colour in female form. Of course her partner was embarrassed, after all she's more then use to being male for years and therefore wearing a dress would be freaking weird and likely scarring her social life as well.

She paused mentally over that thought, she has to admit that it truly unnerved her to learn that Kari and undergone a gender swap because of Wisemon's attack. Although the reason why she likely understands what goes on in the mind of a male was likely due to spending too much with, first Tai and Agumon, and then with Davis and Veemon.

Her thoughts were brought back to reality at a question from Guilmon.

"What are those things on your chest Takatomon, those bumpy things?" Guilmon said, finally noticing that Takato/Kari didn't have them normally as a guy.

"There called breasts Guilmon," Takato said blushing.

"Oh, you mean boobies!" Guilmon said cheerfully.

"Boo... bies," Takato said quietly, her face going entirely red.

"Yeah, Impmon told me that all girls have them, and now you're a girl half the time. Yeah, Takatomon has boobies!" Guilmon said.

"Impmon... should of known," Rika groaned. Adding another reason to why he's on her hit list.

Takato just continued to blush; truly having long since given up on the idea that she'd ever develop a mature female body.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Guilmon looked around the corner, he was so happy. Takatomon was playing a new game, he was to look around each area before they entered to make sure none of there friends were there, and he had to make sure Takatomon while a girl wasn't spotted by anyone from Shinjuku.

It was too bad Calumon had once again wondered off, the white in-training Digimon would have had fun with this game.

"All clear!" Guilmon chirped cheerfully.

Quickly the two tamers, Gatomon and Renamon walked across the area intent on getting back to Takatos room before anyone caught on to Takato femaleness.

Guilmon cheerfully went to scout out the next area, already awarding himself a hefty amount of bonus points just by using his nose and ears as well as his eyes. He could already imagine what he could trade those points in for …

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Woah!" Davis said.

"What is it?" Tai asked, as he entered the room just behind the younger gogglehead. He was trying not to think of Matt's comment about Davis, on how Davis was like a clone of himself in many ways.

"You know that picture of your sister you showed me years ago?" Davis said looking at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah?" Tai said, trying not to feel how much talking about his sister hurt.

"I just saw a really hot girl in a pink dress just leave the room, she looked like a hot older version of your sister Kari," Davis said cheerfully, so he was totally unprepared for Tai to push him out of the way and run in the one way the Kari look alike had gone.

"What's with him?" Veemon asked, heading popping out of Davis's backpack.

"No clue, he might just weirded out," the maroon-head replies with a shrug before following the ex-goggle wearing Digidestine.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Tai ran through the hallways, his brown hair flopping across his eyes in an annoying fashion. He looked around with forelone hope of his sister, he didn't want this time to be like all those other times he'd thought he'd finally had a trace.

Behind him, he could Agumons taloned feet on the hard surface of the hallway floor, there were startled shouts as people spotted the digimon. People may know more about digimon now, but that didn't mean they were ready for them.

'_Please stop running, please Kari!'_ Tai begged in his mind.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"You have been spotted," Renamon said, briefly phasing into existence next to the two human, Rika swore while Kari gnawed a bit on her lower lip.

"Anyone we know?" Rika asks as her violet eyes narrowed as her protective nature rears its head.

"Not a Tamer, but an older teen with gravity defying brown hair and brown eyes, looks like he could be related to Takato in female form," the kitsune said, easily keeping pace with the moving group.

"Tai..." Kari whispered sadly, realizing that it could only be her brother. She wanted to see him, but was afraid... what if he rejected her or hated her for what had happened.

"We'll loose him by going through a store," Rika said, and took a sharp right turn into a store selling drinks.

Frowning for a split second, Kari then follows, and of course her bad luck or good luck in some situations kicked in, as she literally ran into someone there drink almost spilling onto her borrowed dress.

She took a step back startled, and gave an apology, and only then looked up to see who she had run into.

'_TK__!'_ She thought freezing to the spot, barely noticing Gatmon and Guilmon entering the store behind her.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Oh my god," TK whispered shocked, his blue eyes taking in the face before him. She was beautiful, and her eyes were just as kind as he remembered.

"Kari... you're okay, you're alive," he said, so relieved to see his best friend, fellow Digidestine, and, of course, first crush was right in front of him.

"I..." the brown haired girl trails off as she began to back away and turn to leave, only to bump into Guilmon, which forces him to stop backing away.

"No, please wait," he begged, grabbing her hand in his own, not even noticing the large red Digimon. He had never known how small and fragile her hands seemed compared to his larger rougher hands.

She turned to look at him soulfully, her eyes sparkled like rubies as tears appeared, her other hand reached up and touched his cheek gently.

Kari was so warm, and she smelled of baking things. He hoped this moment would never end; he had missed the Chosen of Light so much.

"I can't stay... I'm sorry TK," Kari said and then before he could ask why he felt something hit the back of his neck.

"Kari..." he whispered as he fell, and darkness claimed him.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Kari staggered a bit as she caught the blond teen, with a sigh she gently laid him on the ground.

"Come on goggles, we have to go before anyone else spots you and another drama scene happens. I don't need to see another romance novel scene come to life," Rika said, from her position just slightly out of sight.

The red-head had been the one to knock TK out, but Kari knew that it had to be done.

"Maybe next time," Kari whispered sadly, wiping away tears that had fallen.

Then quickly began running, they still had a bit to go till Rika and herself and there partners arrived at her room.

Patamon descends down from his place in the air; he was high enough not to be spotted but close enough to hear everything, even Kari's odd nickname.

'_How did she earn that for a nickname? And, how come Gatomon hasn't said anything about finding her, too?'_ The orange rookie wonders as he lands on his partner's chest.

Patamon blinks as he watches Tai race pass the entrance, though Agumon, who's following his partner, stops at the shop entrance. "What happened to him?" The tiny(compared to the red dino that had been with Gatomon and Kari) dino Digimon.

"I'm not sure, but I think Kari's girlfriend knocked him out…" The flying rookie admits to Agumon, slightly confused as to why Kari would be dating a girl. . .

"Kari? You mean Tai's sister?" The newly arrived Davis asks with a slightly gazed look in his eyes. Although, Veemon seemed to be in the same boat as Patamon and Agumon as to why Davis has that look on his face. . .

-o-o-o-o-o-

After a relativity short shopping trip, to which only took about an hour once they encountered TK, they managed to make it to his room before he switched to his current form, the one that he's come to see as his default gender. The bags of clothing for his female body were placed into a closet as Rika heads out of the room, leaving him to change into his usual attire before they head to the school for the closing ceremony.

Somewhere down the lines, the other Tamers drifted to his room before their bus departs for the school. It also seems that Calumon has already forgotten this morning's incident at the pool since nobody's been giving him any odd looks, although Gatomon wasn't spared.

Takato couldn't help but stutter out an excuse about Gatomon arriving in his room last night and that Guilmon doesn't seem to mind having her around. If they had any more time, it's likely that somebody would have thought to ask questions about why Gatomon would do such a thing, but then, they had less then fifteen minutes to get to the bus.

Takato's doubly glad that they manage to hide his new cloths before the first Tamer arrived at his door. Soon enough, they're all heading out of his room and to the elevator. Takato hangs back and then so does Gatomon.

Once the others are far enough away, Takato says to the white cat Digimon, "Huh, do you want to stay here? I think the others might be wondering where you've been."

"I'll be fine, I may not be as good as that fox, but I'm not as bad as Guilmon." Gatomon says with a bit of amusement. He smiles slightly, knowing what his first partner is saying.

"Well, he does take after me in that regard." The red hazel teen admits and Gatomon chuckles on hearing that.

Before Gatomon gets the chance to say anything, Henry's calling his name. They exchange a looks as they head off to catch the elevator.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Yolei glances between Davis and TK, not sure of why the pair have such different expressions on their faces. Davis got this odd glint in his eye while TK looks as if somebody just kicked his puppy and then said puppy got run over by a Tankmon. . .

A questioning glance at Hawkmon reveals that even her partner doesn't get what's up with Patamon and Veemon too. "Ok, whatever, we got a ceremony to attend." The purple haired teen says before dragging the pair off to change their cloths.

Hawkmon and the other two Digimon just shrug and follows the three humans.

Soon enough they split ways, the Digimon heading off to do what they usually do when not with their partners and the teens head off to join the crowd of their participates. Yolei waves at where her sister is seating, most of the parents and siblings of their school's participates were in attendance, which just added to the importance of this last day.

"Hey! I see her! It's that red head who's going out with Kari!" Davis says in a harsh whisper as the goggle wearing Digidestine points to those from West Shinjuku.

The girl seems to have some white stuff toy on her head… at least Yolei thought it was a toy until it's ears grew and the toy take to the air. The small Digimon, since she couldn't think of what else could defy gravity that easily, then floats to a brunet and lands in the girl's arms.

Emerald green eyes turn to face them before the Digimon seems to grin and wave in their direction. "Ok…" Was all she could think of saying, already forgetting about the red head on seeing an unfamiliar Digimon attending the ceremony.

"I guess that's one of those new Digimon that were spotted around school." Davis muses and TK hums in agreement.

Soon enough, they're all standing as the representatives from the other schools walk with the principal from their school. As Tai and Matt walk slightly behind with a group of other older teens, it's clear that Tai's eyes were going among the faces from West Shinjuku.

Why that was, Yolei can't honestly say but as she recalls Davis's remark about Kari, Tai's missing younger sister; she really doesn't want to know what brought Davis to that conclusion.

Although if it were anything like that picture taken of TK and that yellow goggle wearing teen . . .

A slight blush erupted on her face as she sneaks a glance first at the blond and then to the yellow goggle wearing student among the West Shinjuku participates as a scene plays out in her mind's eye. . . .

Yolei is startled out of that particular day dream as everyone sits down. She hurries to mimic the others around her, although, from the looks of things, TK's still a bit depressed about whatever incident that involved Kari and that one red head.

With a slight shake, Yolei tunes into the speeches that the principal is sprouting. About fifteen minutes of listening to her describe how this whole mini-Olympics brought their schools together.

There were a few minor snorts among her schoolmates, but nothing else, although Yolei did admit that if it weren't for West Shinjuku, they might not have known about Digimon the card game. . .

Finally, they announced the top three ranking schools. The third place school was South Teruyoshi Junior High with second place going to, West Shinjuku. Finally, first place went to Ragnarok High.

The teachers for the three ranking schools accepted the ribbons or trophy for their school as the respective schools cheered loudly as the ceremony then goes on to hand out first place ribbons for students who won the different events.

Oddly enough, the yellow goggle wearing teen won the sprinting event as well as the jousting event. That last one was where the two contestants would be riding on a skate board and try and knock each other off the skate boards by using a plastic lance.

The teen's name turned out to be Takato Matsuki and unknown to Yolei, TK's face take a thoughtful look as Takato walks down the stairs, rejoining his friends.

To Readers:

Sorry it took so long! Fire-chan and I have been busy at work and also working on our individual stories as well.

For those of you who're waiting for another chapter for Springs of Horrors, I'm working on it now.


	8. Chapter 7

We own nothing but the actual fic and any OC's.

**Angel of the Hazard**

Chapter Seven: Head West Destined

Last time:

_The teachers for the three ranking schools accepted the ribbons or trophy for their school as the respective schools cheered loudly as the ceremony then goes on to hand out first place ribbons for students who won the different events._

_Oddly enough, the yellow goggle wearing teen won the sprinting event as well as the jousting event. That last one was where the two contestants would be riding on a skate board and try and knock each other off the skate boards by using a plastic lance._

_The teen's name turned out to be Takato Matsuki and unknown to Yolei, TK's face take a thoughtful look as Takato walks down the stairs, rejoining his friends._

OoOoO

It was a world of perfect strangers, each person in there own world, it was a Monday of course... Or at least felt like one.

"Welcome to Shinjuku Gatomon," Takato whispered, to where the mostly white feline Digimon was hiding in his bag.

"And don't you forget it, where you are I am," Gatomon answered, thankfully Rika was his seat mate so no one else noticed.

"I won't," Takato promised, as the bus turned to drive towards the school.

OoOoO

Odaiba seemed subdued as they arrived; it had been an exciting yet also a disappointing day for certain Destined. Specifically the ones who had once knew Kari.

Tai sighed as he lugged his bag from everyone else's, soon enough the other Destined had found there items.

He truly felt like pulling out his hair as he screams in frustration, after all these years he had been so close to finding his sister, and now it seems that his last visible link to her, Gatomon, had vanished. Although he did hope that Gatomon was at Kari's side, where ever that is.

The brunette felt that he had tried to find Kari and now Gatomon, but he hadn't found any trace of her, any hint of that she had been part of any of those schools that came to compete in that mini school Olympics. He arrived at a local park and pauses as a scent catches his noses and that of Agumon's as well.

Strangely enough when they moved to investigate said scent, they found what looked to be a campfire in a barren part of the park; it looked kind of fresh all things considered. Weirdly enough, he finds a small price tag by the outside of the fire circle; it seems that someone had burned a couple dresses in it if the information on said tag could be believed.

_It figures, there are just some__ people out there with both too much time and money on their hands._ He muses as he shakes his head. "So, where are we going, Tai?" Agumon asks as they turn away from the site.

"Well, I think we'll start in West Shinjuku since that's where that red blob came from. I still didn't know why Azulongmon wanted us and our families in the Digital world during that time…" The brunette says with a slight frown.

_There are still rumours of some government conspiracy going on over there too. Some say that the government created that world eating blob too._ He muses as he walks down the street, heading for the subway to take him to the local bus station so they can hop onto a bus heading in that direction.

"I'm not too sure we should head in that direction, Tai. There's rumours about a gateway leading into Zhuqiaomon's domain, and let me tell you, out of all of the Sovereign Digimon, he's the meanest of the bunch! There are stories about how he tried to invade the real world some time ago." His partner says, shivering slightly as he pauses to stare slightly wide eyed at Agumon.

"You're kidding… right?" Tai asks and Agumon shakes his head. "Nope, not at all. Zhuqiaomon is a big believer in survival of the fittest, Tai. He even considers those of us partnered up with a human to be Digi-pets, unworthy to call ourselves Digimon." His partner says and he sighs.

"Anyway, that does sound like a good place as any to check out for clues to Gatomon and Kari's location. I mean, she's a Digidestine, she's got to be where the action is, right? After all, our fates are intertwined with the Digital world, right?" The brunette says and Agumon sighs.

"If you say so, Tai, if you say so." Agumon says and they continue to their destination.

OoOoO

Shaking his wet blond hair, TK looks up at his reflection in the mirror's surface. With a sigh, he grabs a towel and to begin wiping his face before pulling over his hair before he begins to use it to dry out his dirty blond locks.

Within seconds, he's walking out of the bathroom, heading for his room. Hearing some light snoozing, he smiles at the sight of his partner dozing on one of his pillow. As he moves to sit on his bed, he hears something vibrating.

"I wonder who that could be." The Digidestine of Hope muses before moving to pick up his cell phone. After checking, he says into the phone, "Hey, Sora, what's up?"

"Hey TK, have you talked with Tai recently?" Sora asks him. With a frown, he replies, "Not since last night when he mentioned him spotting Kari." TK hears her sigh before she says, "And according to Biyomon, Agumon has gone missing from the Digital world. Tai isn't home and with Agumon gone…"

"He's gone out to search for her." He finishes with a sigh, almost wishing that Tai had asked him to help. He wonders where he headed off to, which district he planned to search in. "Didn't he tell Matt or Gabumon where they're headed?" He inquires and Sora hums a negative.

With a sigh, he begins to rummage through his dresser draws, looking for something clear to wear. "Where are we meeting?" The blond teen asks and Sora says, "At Izzy's."

"Ok, I'll head over there as soon as I can." He says and within seconds, he hangs up the phone, placing it onto the top of the dresser.

"What have you done now, Tai?" TK wonders with a sigh, pulling a shirt over his head. _Just be safe._ He thinks to himself as he hurries to get his cloths on.

-o-o-o-o-o-

_Finally! Home sweet home!_ Takato thinks as he climbs down the stair of the bus, followed by Guilmon.

Although he did feel a bit hollow as he walks away from the bus but manages to shake that feeling off. "So, Henry? Where's Terriermon?" He asks as he frowns as he tries to remember when was the last time he's seen the green rookie.

"Or Calumon?" Jeri asks as she joins them. Henry sighs while Rika remarks, "Getting into trouble is more then likely what that rabbit's doing."

The yellow goggle wearing teen sighs before remarking, "At least we know he's not plotting with Impmon now don't we?" Jeri smiles while Henry just sighs.

"Anyway, we better head home. See you later you guys." He says as he recalls who he has within his pack. "Bye, Takato! See you at the park tomorrow." Jeri says and he nods in agreement as he begins to head home, holding his hand up before he turns away from them.

"Say bye to Kenta and Kazu for me!" He calls out as Guilmon says his good byes.

And so Takato, who's carrying Gatomon in his bag, and Guilmon head for Takato's adopted parents' bakery. And while within the pack, Gatomon couldn't help but just privately groan at the smell of dirty cloths. She sighs softly in relief when Takato calls out a greeting to the couple that adopted him.

Gatomon gasps for air as soon as her partner opens the bag. "Dirty... cloths." The white feline Digimon states between gasps and Takato just sighs.

"Well, it was a sporting event..." Takato couldn't help but point out and Gatomon hums after climbing onto a chair, her blue eyes taking in the sight of the various decorations.

"And here I always thought Tai was the messy one..." She muses as she notices how filled up the book shelves were and the various books, trinkets, a shoe box, and finally sheets of paper that range from being blank to having doodles drawn upon them.

"Yea, I've been meaning to clean up in here for a while now..." Takato admits after glancing around his own room, pausing from emptying his cloth duffel bag that Gatomon had been hiding in as they arrive at their stop.

Gatomon just hums in a knowing manner before leaping onto the top bunk of the bed, the Digimon watches the red rookie rummage through a pile next to a book case before dragging out what appears to be some Valentine's Day heart candies. "I'll be back, I'm going to take this stuff down to the laundry room." Her current male partner states after managing to grab the rest of the dirty piles of cloths.

She just hums before curling up into a ball, it is about time for her long awaited nap after all.


	9. Chapter 8

We don't own anything but the fic and anything original, some people in Japan owns Digimon, lucky people. Sorry for the wait, firehedgehog here lost writing inspiration and got addicted to world of warcraft, but I'm back now.

**Angel Of the Hazard**

Chapter Eight:

Tai sighed in relief as he stepped off the over crowded subway car, it was like sardines in a can. The people there were so crowded, even Agumon without a disguise was unnoticed. Now that was strange, hopefully that meant his partner wouldn't gain too many stares. But he probably should have stopped home first for a disguise.

Looking up he frowned, it was getting towards evening and the sky was getting clouded over, the scent of rain was in the air.

"We better find a place to stay the night," Tai said scratching his chin, thankfully he had his debit card and some ready cash on him.

But first, he really had to get some food if the rumbling from Agumon and his own stomach was going by.

"Oh! I smell something good!" Agumon cried out awhile ago, with a grin he followed his partner to what looked like a small family owned bakery.

"Oh... they look good," Tai said looking over the selection before he blinks as he  
spotted a sample of strange bread shaped peanut butter treat. "Guil… Mon bread?" He reads out loud in disbelief, wait... bread shaped like a digimon! Startled he looked up at woman at the counter; she smiles at him and since her last customer just left came to him.

"Its shaped like my sons partner, there quite popular. I see you have your own partner Digimon," the woman says as she studies the rookie up and down while Agumon looks kind of bashful with the attention being paid to him.

"Hai, this is Agumon and I'm Tai, were just visiting the area," he replied, glad that she didn't have a negative reaction to his partner and glad to find out a Digimon lived here. Also, it looked like it was one fo the kids from the event. Hopefully, the woman's son would be able to help him.

"Welcome to the area, I'd introduce you to my son but he's fast asleep upstairs at the moment. Its early, but he's had a busy last few days," she replied, he felt a bit disappointment but didn't voice it, there was always tomorrow.

"Do you mind me coming around tomorrow? I'm looking for someone in the area, and he might have ideas where she is," he asked, she looked thoughtful.

"Come over at opening, he's a helpful boy and wouldn't mind helping at all," she said.

"Thank you ma'am, now I think I should buy something before my stomach gnaws through my belly in search of food," he relied a bit more cheered, moments later he left with a bag of food and went to find a hotel/inn to stay.

As he went to sleep, his overtired mind kept feeling like he was forgetting something. Ah well, he'd figure it out in the morning when he was fully rested.

OoOoO

She had woken to a familiar voice, it echoed up the stairs to where she napped. Looking to her partner she found Takato and Guilmon were asleep, Gatomon stretched a bit while she recalls who owns that voice.

_'Tai?'_She thought, how had he tracked them down so fast?

The sound of the bakery door chiming closed came to her attention, she leapt to the window, managing to open it so she can crawl up to the roof so that she might peer down at the front of the story, after all, the window faces the alley between the bakery and some other one. There she spies a familiar head of hair and a certain orange Digimon were walking away calmly a bakery bag in Tai's arms, she quickly flattens herself down upon the roof as she considers the sight of her partner's brother and his partner.

"So... they didn't find us," Gatomon murmurs, she cast one last glance at the duo before the champion then goes back to the open window to crawl back into the room to return to sleep. She could only imagine what the next few days hold for them with the past coming to claim her lost partner and to uncover the secret of Kari's disappearance.

With the window closed, Gatomon yawns before she finds a spot onto which to curl up, and then sleep claims her.

OoOoO

It took a while but Tai did find a hotel for them to stay at, although the worker at the desk sent worried looks over to Agumon. As he sits upon the bed, Tai gets a call from Matt.

"What have you done now, Tai?" Were the first words from the blond.

"Nice to hear from you too, Matt." Tai replies dryly. "So, when did you figure it out that we left?" He holds the phone to his ear using his shoulder as he takes off his socks.

"It was an educated guess, really." Matt replies. "You're such an idiot! You could have at least waited to see if any of us wanted to come along."

Then, in the background, Tai can hear Davis asking if Matt has Tai's location yet. "You've guys are having a meeting, aren't you?" _'It figures'_, he thinks to himself.

"You really haven't learned anything, have you?" Sora says, it seems as though she took the phone from Matt. "You're such a bonehead, you… bonehead!"

Tai laughs nervously. Trust my oldest friend to reused old nicknames. "How original." He finds himself saying before and stiffens as Sora asks in a very sharp tone, "What did you say?"

"Howdy?" Tai asks. "Oh, look at the time, it's getting close to noon! Got to go eat lunch, see ya, bye!" He clicks the end button before turning off the cell phone before lying flatly upon his back.

"I saved two of them for you!" Agumon says from the table.

"Thanks, partner." He calls out to the orange rookie Digimon.

"No problem Tai!" Agumon pipes in.

_'I wonder if the son of those bakers is up yet?'_Tai wonders while sitting up upon the bed.

OoOoO

"Ocean Streamer!" And suddenly, water begins to rise into the air from the water fountain at the park where Guilmon makes his home.

"Diamond Storm!" Renamon declares in her typical fashion after getting within five feet of the Archelomon's head. The golden furred rookie manages to evade the firing balls of water that got fired out of the mass of water that the armor Digimon's attack caused to erupt out of the fountain.

"Rock Breaker!" Guilmon says upon recovering from being hit by the ball of water. The crimson rookie manages to block a bladed fin from hitting Renamon, who had just landed.

"Cyber Nail!" Growls Cyberdramon and this attack not only causes cracks upon the turtle like's shell but is the killing blow as well. Cyberdramon seemingly glides down to the ground as their foe's data floats away.

"Good to see that you've made it home." Ryo says, coming up from behind Takato and Rika. "How were the games?"

"Busy," Rika smirked at the dark haired boy.

"Exhausting," Takato muttered walking over to them, as they watched he put his cards away and clipped his D-Ark away.

"Bet you has fun though, beating all those kids at the other schools," Ryo teased.

"Wish it had been calmer, I swear I kept running into the same people like they were stalkers," Takato said adjusting his goggles.

"I think the blond was a stalker," Rika smirked, enjoying the blush on the goggleheads face.

"I think he thought I was someone else he knew," Takato said looking away slightly, only Rika knew he was lying, after all Kari was the person blondie was looking for... just that she now goes by Takato and typically remains the opposite gender of what TK and them are looking out for.

"You mean there are other goggleheads out there?" Ryo said with a fake gasp and pretending to grab onto his chest in panic.

Rika rolled her eyes, the Dork was such a drama queen, it was then that she realized some people were missing.

"Where's Henry?" she asked, usually brainiac would be here for a battle even if he didn't like battling.

"I got a message from him as I was leaving, his mom and dad are on a date and Suzy's sick, at the moment he's the only one to look after her," Takato said scratching the back of his head with one of his silly grins. "Where are the other two?" Ryo asked, trying to not look too concerned about his two fanboy/stalkers.

"You know what, I have a feeling we don't want to know," Rika said shivering, sometimes those two were just freaky in there hobbies.

"For our sanity's sake let's just go with missing in action," Takato said watching Guilmon going silly and talking to Renamon.

"I'll see you about, I have errands to run," Ryo said calling his partner over.

"See you about," Takato said cheerfully, and started home with Guilmon at his heals. Rika began to walk home, no matter how much changed Takato would be Takato, even if once he was Kari.

OoOoO

"I have an urge to cackle for some reason," Kazu said as he looked for his cards, he swore he had them there; he was going to miss the battle at this rate.

"Please don't," Kenta responded sighing.

"We just missed the battle didn't we..." Kazu grumbled.

"By a long show," Kenta said cleaning his glasses.

"Dammit, where are my cards," the visored boy said digging around his room.

Their partners just glance at each while looking into the room. Neither of the two felt like stating the obvious about seeing the deck and tin on the living room table. MarineAngemon seemingly chirps out in his typical language.

To which Kazu's Digimon partner replies, "It is a good exercise for their memory banks." The pink mega crosses his fin arms and nods in agreement a few seconds after hearing that answer.

OoOoO

"Seems nasty to take Digimon data," Gatomon said appearing as soon as they were out of Ryo's sight, while Rika knew the truth the other boy didn't.

"I know, but Southern Digimon aren't like you Gatamon. Its kill or be killed in these kind of battles, particularly when they decide to come to the real world. Very few are peaceful, not many of them want partners and I'd rather Guilmon to take the data then a wild Digimon who will later cause trouble or for it to float about uselessly in the atmosphere," Takato explains, trying to not remembering the few deaths that had been caused by Digimon so far... thankfully the public didn't know that or it could get really bad really fast. Once home he'd have to tell her about that, she unlike Guilmon would understand what he told her.

"I still don't like it," Gatomon said unhappily.

"I don't like it either, but its worse if we don't," Takato said, up ahead the Bakery came into sight. "It's not like we can access the Digital World whenever we want to."

_'It took Guilmon digging more into the side of the shed to locate that portal.'_The red hazel eyed teen mentally muses as they part from Rika and Renamon.

OoOoO

Tai looked around the room with amusement, it was almost as messy as his own and he really wanted to steal the Digimon posters and merchandise... that or find out where to get it.

He'd been let up in the woman's sons room, apparently his name was Takato. He was pretty sure Takato was the name of one of the partnered kids the other Destined had met at the event, to wait for Takato's return so he can ask for help in regards to learning if anybody during that trip fit Kari's description.

"Ohh, candy," Agumon said happily, with long practice he pulled his partner away from the candy, he didn't need a hyper partner today.

"Not now," he soothed the orange mini dino.

"Awwwww," Agumon said, then discovered a few toys to keep his busy.

Murmurs kind of echo up from the lower floor, mostly greetings between the son and the mother, he smiles a bit and move to stand up. He glances about the room in a rather nervous fashion, making sure that everything is pretty much undamaged.

It was then the sound of a door caught his attention, turning he saw it opening and a red Dragon Digimon of some type coming in. He thought he heard something outside but he's more focused on just how big the crimson… (rookie? champion?) is in person.

Familiar eyes, eyes he had known for years.

The face was different, older... the wrong gender for one thing. But he knew, it just felt like the most natural connection to make.

"Kari?" he asked shocked, reddish eyes widened in shocked.

"Tai!" she... no he gaped face going pale, Takato/Kari backed away into the hallway.

"Wait Please!" he begged, but the younger brunette fled, leaving his partners behind.

Tai could only follow, he was not losing his sibling again.

"That went smoothly." Gatomon says, having entered into the room viva the balcony.

"And just how long have you known about this?" Agumon demands, turning to look at the white cat Digimon.

"Not long, not long at all." Is her reply.

OoOoO

Takato ran, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. How... how had Tai found him, and fully recognized him while male after all of this time?

Why, why did this have to happen to him?

Why was he so scared, what if Tai rejected him... could he accept what has become of his now sister/brother?

The younger gogglehead wished he knew, but he also didn't want to know. Takato just didn't want things to become so complicated so soon, particularly just after reuniting with Gatomon. He felt that he needed a period of adjustment to even grow accustom to having any part of his old life coming to face him.

All he could do for now is run and hide. It wasn't the best of plans but it's all he can think of at this moment. Those very emotions had caused him to flee that night suddenly overwhelm him once more.

"Argh," he cried as something tackled him into some bushes, he hadn't even realized in his panic he's made it all the way to the park.

"Sorry Kari... Takato, well whatever you want to call yourself. But I think as your big brother I deserve to know what's going on," came Tais voice, Tai who had apparently caught him.

Takato had no clue what do it, only to turn to stare at his brother and finding himself crying, so many feeling overwhelm him as he does looking up into his older brother's face.

Takato knows why Tai chased after him, why Tai would always come after him in that moment and he feels ashamed for making the other chase him, but he couldn't change the past. _'I'm such a coward…'_


End file.
